BLEACH: When Hell Freezes Over
by KingofMercury
Summary: When the Eternal Flame of Hell goes out, the Lord of Hell loses his power. His Demons, long held in check by his will, run wild on Soul Society, Earth, and Hueco Mundo. The Shinigami now face an enemy whose power goes well beyond that of any Espada!
1. On the way to the meeting

It was night.

The rain came down in a steady, misty drizzle that dampened the flag-stoned streets and avenues that cut through Seireitei. The smooth white walled buildings glistened in the lamplight beneath a dripping curtain of water from the tiled rooftops. The evening air held a certain damp chill that signaled the onset of winter time in Soul Society. It never snowed in Soul Society, but the winters consisted of a frigid rain that wasn't quite chilly enough to freeze, but was cold enough to drive most people indoors, especially at night.

Tonight at least one person dared to wander outside in the chill night air.

Ichigo Kurosaki moved purposefully along the dimly lit southern quarter of Seireitei, alone with his damp cloak and brooding thoughts. He was a tall man, not necessarily huge in stature, but rather a slim sort of musculature with a narrow waist and long legs. His brown eyes were creased with an almost permanent frown that wrinkled his forehead and the bridge of his narrow nose. His thin lips were drawn down in a perpetual scowl. Atop his head an almost fiery mane of bright orange hair set him apart from most of his peers in Soul Society. Even his very name meant 'strawberry', a testament to his oddly colored locks. Ichigo wore his customary Shinigami garb this evening, complete with the white sleeveless overlay with the symbol in back of three parallel white lines running horizontally from right to left. The symbol of the guard squad he was currently in charge of. His shoulders were hunched against the rain and wind and his hands were shoved deeply into pockets of his own making stitched into his white cloak.

He moved alone on this cold desolate night, but Ichigo was not truly lonely. At times like these the Squad Three Captain was at his most comfortable, alone with his thoughts and contemplations. He had few friends in this world, and if one was not a member of that exclusive group then Ichigo felt little need to suffer their presence. A lot of his peers would call him aloof. Ichigo simply preferred to keep the number of people he felt he had to protect to a manageable minimum. At least that's how he saw it.

Yet it wasn't long before Ichigo felt the familiar presence of someone he knew very closely. Her presence was slight. She had learned to control it in the last few years, but Ichigo could feel it no matter how hard she tried to suppress it. The odd Reiatsu of an Arrancar was a rare thing in Soul Society and easily distinguishable from the mosaic of Shinigami Reiatsu.

He stopped in the middle of a T-shaped intersection and looked over his left shoulder in mild annoyance.

"Come on out, Nel," he said firmly. "I can feel your Reiatsu."

This was far from the first time his Vice Captain had decided to tail him when he was out and about. It almost seemed like some kind of game to the Espada-class Arrancar that she try to follow him and go as long as possible without his detection. This time she didn't fare so well. Usually he went a good twenty blocks before he picked her out of the darkness.

A figure cloaked in black, with a white sash holding an ivory Zanpakuto at her waist appeared in a blur of speed atop the wall to Ichigo's right. Her head, exposed to the elements, was surmounted by a bony Hollow Mask with curved horns that framed a rather lovely face. Her complexion was marred by a red birth mark that ran horizontally across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Between her gray eyes ran an old discolored scar inflicted on her by one of her former comrades. Emerald green hair spilled from her mask and down around her shoulders to the middle of her back.

"I told you to stay," Ichigo scolded Nel. "I _really_ meant it this time!"

Nel easily jumped down to the street and stood unapologetically facing him. "I thought maybe this time would be the time I could follow you completely without you detecting me. If I hadn't slipped on the roof just now I might have beaten my previous record."

"The only way you could escape my notice for an entire trip was if I was simply going across the street from my house," Ichigo stated. "Now if you're done fooling around, go home. This meeting is not for Vice Captains' ears. I'll have no choice but to punish you if Toshiro finds out you followed me."

"Is it about the King?" Nel inquired.

"You know I can't tell you that," Ichigo narrowed his eyes.

Ignoring the implied threat, Nel pressed on. "I've heard the rumors too. You Captains can't keep this a secret forever. They say the King is sick, that it's pretty serious. Why else would they call all twelve Captains to a meeting in the middle of the night in this weather?"

"That's pretty good," Ichigo conceded. "I admit you know just as much as I do about the situation. Regardless, it's time you dropped this matter and went home. More than likely you'll get the real story sooner or later. But if you don't stop pestering me--!"

Ichigo stopped mid-sentence as another Reiatsu made its presence felt. Nel was already looking in the direction of the road that was intersecting with the one Ichigo had been following. The Reiatsu was a familiar one, one that filled Ichigo with a sense of peace and contentment. He knew almost without looking who the owner of that spirit energy was.

"Having some trouble with the subordinate, Ichigo?" said the almost tiny female Shinigami who stepped into the light of the nearest street lamp.

"No more than usual, I suppose," Ichigo sighed, glaring at Nel, who despite taking a step back from his gaze had a bit of a smile on her lips.

The newest arrival was dressed in like style to that of Ichigo. Her Shinigami robe was overlaid with a white cloak that bore the same three horizontal lines on the back of Ichigo's garb, only this symbol also had a cross-shaped symbol set atop the three lines to signify the number '13'. Her short black hair was cut to the nape of her neck and curled slightly outward at the tips from years of brushing against her collar.

Here in Soul Society, people aged very slowly, the more powerful ones lasting for as long as a couple thousand years in some cases. Despite this, the other captain was showing signs of her advanced age. The solid lock of hair that seemed to cleave her small face in two down the middle contained a few stray strands of silver, while the faintest etching of crows feet decorated the outer corners of her eyes. Her steely dark eyes, however, had lost none of their vibrance or potency.

"Hello Rukia," Ichigo greeted her by her first name. An informality earned through centuries of cooperation and cohabitation. She was one of his oldest remaining friends, the only one left over from his days as a mortal in Karakura Town . She had been a Shinigami far longer than he had, hence the age difference. Despite her apparent signs of getting up there in years, Ichigo still thought she was quite beautiful. A lump formed in his throat, however, every time he saw her these days.

"You look well for an old bag. Is that a few more strands of gray hair I see on that head of yours?" he quipped.

"Oh, you're a scream," Rukia's answering glare could have withered an oak tree. For Ichigo, who had seen it a million times before, the effect was somewhat less potent. "How long did it take you to come up with that one?"

"I write them down when I think about them," Ichigo shrugged. "Cheating with your Kidou to keep off the rain I see."

Rukia had been walking this whole time with a bubble of force around her that kept the rain from hitting her body. Underneath that invisible dome she was bone dry. Ichigo rather envied her mastery of Shinigami magic.

"Hello Nel," Rukia turned her head to acknowledge Ichigo's Vice Captain. "It's been a while since the last time we saw each other."

"Too long, Captain Kuchiki," Nel bowed at the waist to the Shinigami who barely came up to her breast line.

"Nel here was just leaving, weren't you Nel?" Ichigo said meaningfully.

"Aww!" Nel pouted at him. "Can't I at least follow you to the Commander's Dojo?"

"Yeah, Ichigo. Can't she?" Rukia batted her eyelashes mischievously.

Okay, he deserved that, Ichigo thought as he glowered back down at Rukia. This was her revenge for his crack about her age. Rukia was rather devious when it came to these kinds of things. Getting even was one of her finer gifts.

Nel beamed and looked expectantly at Ichigo.

The best Ichigo could do was roll his eyes and give in. "If Toshiro nails me for seeing you near his dojo I'm coming down on you like a ton of bricks," he threatened his Vice Captain. "So just be sure you at least stay out of sight."

The Arrancar merely agreed with a cheerful nod.

"You shouldn't spoil her like that," he said to his fellow Captain as the two started walking. Nel took to the rooftops and quickly vanished from view. Her Reiatsu lingered momentarily before it too faded. "If you're going to get back at me you can do it without undermining my authority."

"If _you're_ going to play with fire, you should prepare to be burned now and again," Rukia sniffed.

"Fair enough," Ichigo surrendered with a sigh. "So you gonna give me some of that rain shield or not?"

"I think you'll live," Rukia retorted.

"Now _that's_ just cold," Ichigo muttered, looking away.

The two walked on for some amount of distance in silence. Though they hardly ever saw each other anymore, there was really no need for words between them. All verbal barbs aside, both Captains felt a sort of tranquil serenity just by being in close proximity to one another. It was a harmony Ichigo shared with no one else in Seireitei.

"She really cares about you," Rukia said after a protracted lull. Her eyes contained a bit of a wistful air about them.

"Who?" Ichigo asked.

"Still as thick as a slab of concrete I see," Rukia smirked.

"Easy now," said Ichigo half-jokingly. "I know who you mean. I might be slightly thick in the social department, but even _I_ can see it. She makes it pretty obvious."

"All the young Shinigami girls seem to want a piece of you," needled Rukia. "So what'll you do Mister Casanova?"

"Shut up! I'm not doing anything, she's my Vice Captain," Ichigo replied seriously. "Lord knows I have a hard enough time getting the other Captains to accept her presence here. If I were to give off the appearance of romance it would completely ruin my credibility in selecting her as my Vice Captain as well as putting her in danger of getting exiled back to Hueco Mundo."

"Always worried about protecting everyone around you…" Rukia clucked her tongue.

Ichigo snorted "She's a big girl, she can take care of herself. I'm not protecting her so much as I'm protecting myself."

"Okay, keep denying it," Rukia nudged him with her elbow. "I've known you longer than anyone here. There's just as much of that macho, 'He-man' attitude hidden in your words as there is concern for your position. Nel doesn't care about being your lieutenant, Ichigo. She cares just about being close to you. She always has. I think it's time you finally gave her a chance."

"Is that what you want?" Ichigo felt the lump in his throat grow in both size and weight as the familiar old subject started to come up again.

Rukia stopped walking and turned to gaze up at the sky, letting the slight drizzle splash off her face. That was a new habit of hers. She never made eye contact with him anymore, when talking about the hard things.

"I think… You should at least give her a chance," Rukia said with a small voice. "Who knows? She could be the one you were truly meant to be with."

And there it was. That ton-of-bricks subject that never seemed to stay away whenever the two of them talked these days. It was part of the reason Rukia avoided him more than usual lately, even though _she_ was the one who brought it up half the time.

"I think we both know there's only one person who can fill that role," Ichigo's eyes bored into the back of Rukia's skull.

Rukia and Ichigo had been friends for centuries. But for a slightly shorter stretch of time they'd been something much more than that.

The two had first met when Ichigo was a mortal resident of the real world growing up in Karakura Town . Rukia had already been a Shinigami for some three or four centuries by that point. His ability to see ghosts and spirits, even as an ordinary Human, had enabled him to see Rukia when one of her missions took her to his house. She had been shocked that he could see her at all. Even more shocked when Ichigo accidentally sucked all of her spirit energy out and took on the form of a very powerful Shinigami. A partnership began on that fateful evening long ago that had persisted and outlasted any other friendship.

When Ichigo died and became a true Shinigami, he and Rukia were reunited in Soul Society as peers at last. He had to start from the bottom like everyone else, while she was a tenured Vice Captain in Squad Thirteen. Rukia took it upon herself to take Ichigo under her wing and walk him through the intricacies of Seireitei, since Ichigo had a way of ruffling people's feathers. A partnership was formed between the two of them and they became virtually inseparable. Even those who didn't know them well always remarked on how well Ichigo and Rukia complemented one another. Neither one seemed complete without the other by their side. They were two sides to the same coin.

After many years of trying to deny the truth, Rukia and Ichigo did finally bring their true feelings to the surface during a battle in which Ichigo had nearly died. Once that moment came, there was no going back. The two married, becoming the first pair of Captain-class Shinigami to enter into wedlock with one another. It was a love that was _supposed_ to last forever. After all, everyone seemed to agree that the two were as close to 'soul-mates' as two people could ever possibly be.

But after a long period of wedded bliss, things began to fade from their previous luster. The first problem to arise was Rukia's fertility. It was discovered she was unable to bear a child due to numerous wounds inflicted on her through the years. That was problem number one.

Problem number two occurred when Rukia sprouted her first gray hair and became aware that her skin was no longer as vibrant as it once was. Compared to Ichigo, who at about 450 years of age was pretty much in his prime as a spirit, Rukia was clearly on the decline when it came to age. She was several centuries older than her husband and though there were ways she could conceal her advancing age, Rukia ultimately decided that such methods were superfluous.

Ichigo tried to tell her numerous times that he didn't mind the age difference. That he would continue to love her even after her beauty had eroded away entirely. But Rukia saw things differently. It wasn't that she was vain. She wasn't depressed because her looks were deteriorating. She was depressed because she knew that she would eventually die long before Ichigo would even start to taste old age. Though the two seemed destined to be together, the reality was that destiny was already tearing them apart. Rukia didn't want Ichigo to be left behind in desolation when she passed on. So, after months of deliberating and agonizing over the most painful decision of her life, she removed her wedding ring, handed it back to Ichigo, and filed for divorce.

Within a matter of weeks they were living on separate sides of Seireitei. Ichigo's pleas for her to reconsider fell on deaf ears. Rukia never changed her mind once she decided on something. Nothing he said or did could waver her from her conviction that she was doing the right thing for Ichigo.

That was almost ten years ago. The pain had eased a little since then, and the two were talking as old friends once again rather than tortured ex-lovers. But every time they met, the painful memories loomed like an 800 pound gorilla in the room. Rukia tried to compensate by trying to fix Ichigo up with other love interests. It seemed that Rukia had settled upon Nel as the most likely replacement. And why not? She and Ichigo went way back as well. Nel had been attached to Ichigo emotionally since she was a small child.

But how could she expect him to simply replace her like an old hat? Ichigo thought as he resisted the urge to put his hands on her shoulders and pull her back to him.

"We're going to be late. Come on, Ichigo," Rukia snapped out of her reverie and began trotting up the street. Ichigo followed after her, taking long strides that easily kept up with her shorter legs. No more words were exchanged after that. Not until they finally rounded the corner and beheld the wooden dojo marked with a single horizontal line signifying it as the headquarters of Squad One. It was the home of the current Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13: Toshiro Hitsugaya. This was their destination.

"It'll be good to finally get inside for a few minutes," said Rukia.

"Speak for yourself, force field girl," Ichigo mumbled grumpily. "At least you're still dry."

"One of these days you'll wise up and use an umbrella," Rukia sniffed.

Ichigo sneezed and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. Rukia resisted the urge to feel sorry for him and extend her shield over the top of him. Such a gesture might only encourage him to keep trying to win her back. Instead she started moving toward the front door. "Come on," she called over her shoulder. "You've probably gone and made the two of us late."

"So it's _my_ fault?! Oh yeah, that's rich!... _**Ah-choo**_!!" Ichigo recovered from the sneeze and ran to catch up with Rukia.

**NEXT CHAPTER: Friday**


	2. The Briefing

Ichigo and Rukia entered the dojo to find most of the Squad Captains already present, talking in small groups amongst themselves. All except for Squad Seven were there tonight. Captain Sajin Komamura was away on assignment and could not make it.

Only one other Captain arrived later than they did; Squad Six Captain Renji Abarai. His red, spiked hair was nearly soaked as was his clothing. He too had tried to make it to the meeting without an umbrella.

"You don't have one _either_?!" Rukia scolded him directly before looking at both Ichigo and Renji in annoyed surprise. "What is it with you two and this phobia of umbrellas??"

"Didn't you explain it to her?" Renji asked Ichigo, pointing at Rukia.

"I did, but... She's got this thing with rejecting explanations that strike her as ridiculous," Ichigo scratched his own damp hair.

"Umbrellas are for girls," Renji clarified for her.

All the female Captains in the room stopped talking abruptly and looked at Renji in irritation. Renji's odd, tattooed eyebrows shot up as he looked at all the girls. "What?!" he challenged them.

"You two are so stupid," Rukia heaved a labored sigh. "Honestly, what is it with me and hanging around immature men? I'll never figure that out."

"I'd say it's because you have bad taste," another female voice put in. Everyone turned to see that Soi Fong, Squad Two Captain, had edged her way closer to the conversation. Ichigo's eyebrows furrowed a little deeper. Soi Fong was built almost as compact as Rukia, if not a little bit taller. But underneath her clothing lay the tight corded muscles and lithe frame of a Ninja. This was because Soi Fong, in addition to being a Captain, was leader of the secret division of Shinigami that acted as sort of spies for Seireitei. Her once black hair was almost completely stained silver with age, for she was older than even Rukia. One of the oldest tenured Captains. She'd been leading her own Squad since before Ichigo was born the first time! She'd been passed over in favor of Toshiro Hitsugaya for Captain-Commander, but that wasn't her biggest problem. Her beef was with Ichigo Kurosaki, and, by extension, with Rukia Kuchiki. Even when the two of them were an item, Soi Fong had constantly raised issues with Ichigo's "qualifications" as not only Captain, but Shinigami.

There were two reasons for this belief on her part. Soi Fong was one of those who believed that the Vizard were traitors to Soul Society and should never be allowed to set foot in Seireitei ever again. And since Ichigo was a Vizard... Well, you get the idea. To make matters worse, when Ichigo selected Nel Tu Odershvank as his Vice Captain, Soi Fong had stopped just short of challenging Ichigo to a duel. This time most of Seireitei was in agreement with Squad Two's Captain. A great many Shinigami, including quite a few Captains, had a _severe_ problem with coexisting with an Arrancar, especially a Vasto Lorde created by Sousuke Aizen. Although many of the Captains softened their stance after having met Nel and determining for themselves that she was completely in thrall to Ichigo, Soi Fong persisted in her personal vendetta against both of them.

Rukia was obligated to defend Ichigo's honor while she'd been married to him. She too also knew Nel to be relatively harmless as long as Ichigo kept her by his side. After the divorce she and Soi Fong continued to get along like oil and water. Some people just couldn't let go of a grudge.

"Get lost," said Ichigo bluntly. "You weren't in this conversation to begin with."

"You talk so loudly I could have stabbed you in the dark," Soi Fong growled. "How could I not help but overhear? And at any rate I still haven't forgiven you for bringing that abomination into Soul Society."

"Duly noted, Captain. Thank you," Ichigo bit back. "Anything _else_ I already know that you want to tell me?"

"I wouldn't be critiquing tastes in life mates if I were someone whose greatest obsession is a member of the same gender," Rukia folded her arms crossly and scowled at Soi Fong.

"You leave Lady Shihoin out of this?!" Soi Fong bristled. The best way to get the Squad Two Captain riled up was to use Yoruichi Shihoin, Fong's dearest love in life. Rukia really knew how to stab at the heart of people's insecurities. Despite himself, Ichigo stifled a grin.

"Your Lady Shihoin, I believe, had no problem with Nel from the beginning," Rukia continued. "So I fail to see why you, who shadow her every footstep, would take offense."

Soi Fong actually let out a growl like a caged animal. But before she could snap back a retort, she was interrupted. "Line up! Commander on Deck!"

Captain Shuhei Hisagi of Squad Nine was the one who shouted that out. The twelve Captains filed into two opposing ranks facing one another across the open floor. On one side, Ichigo stood between Rukia and Renji. Renji was on the end, while Rukia, to his right, stood beside Squad Eleven Captain Ikkaku Madarame. Ikkaku, his bald, perfectly shorn scalp gleaming in the light, had taken over Squad Eleven when Zaraki Kenpachi had resigned a few years back. The odd thing about Zaraki's departure was that it came without any warning. He didn't tell anyone ahead of time, nor did he exhibit any odd or different behavior prior to his disappearance. He simply up and left Seireitei and never returned. Kenpachi never left a note, but what he did leave behind was two very upset companions.

Ikkaku was one of them. Madarame had sworn to follow Captain Zaraki his entire life and if he were to die he would do it while under Zaraki's command. Even though he learned 'Bankai' as merely a Third Seat in Eleventh Squad, he kept it a secret so that Captain-Commander Ginryusai Yamamoto would not pressure him to take a Captain's rank in any other squad. Apparently Renji Abarai had helped Ikkaku keep this secret all these years. But when Zaraki left to parts unknown without Ikkaku, there was nothing holding the chrome-headed Madarame from finally moving up in the world. Commander Hitsugaya didn't even hesitate to ink and certify his promotion to the head of Squad Eleven. Ikkaku, obviously upset over Zaraki's departure, grudgingly accepted the promotion. Ichigo suspected he wanted to follow Zaraki and try to track him down, but Ikkaku was not without a sense of duty after so many years as a Shinigami. Still, the subject was still very low on the list of things Ikkaku preferred to talk about.

If Ikkaku Madarame was _upset_ about Zaraki's departure. Then Yachiru Kusujishi, who stood to Madarame's right, was **_crushed_**! Yachiru had known Zaraki the longest of anyone. But it was more than that. Zaraki had practically raised her from babyhood in Soul Society. When she was a little girl one could always find her clinging and climbing all over Kenpachi. She was like a little pink-haired puppet popping her head over his shoulder from out of nowhere. He didn't go anywhere without her, and she not without him. Eventually she grew to the point that it became awkward for Zaraki to continue carrying her around, but she still stuck with him faithfully. Refusing, like Ikkaku, promotion after promotion once she herself learned 'Bankai'. When her idol vanished without warning or trace, Ichigo remembered Yachiru closing herself off from everyone for _months_ afterward! She wouldn't talk to anybody. She wouldn't eat more than few bites of any food that was brought to her. She just sat there in Zaraki's abandoned room, wasting away it seemed. Unable to function without the beacon that comprised the center of her existence for her entire life. It had to have been at least as bad as losing a Father. Ichigo, who lost his mother at a young age as a Human, could understand the depths of her pain. But Zaraki wasn't dead, at least not that anyone was aware. He simply disappeared. The consensus among those who knew him was that he had simply, finally, grown bored with Seireitei and the Gotei 13, and wanted to find new challenges in other places. It was the only explanation that fully fit his character.

Yachiru had grown up into quite the little lady, too. Now taller than Rukia and Soi Fong, but not quite as tall as Isane Kotetsu, Yachiru's pink hair was longer than her shoulders and had a wavy natural style to it. Her face was no longer childlike, but alluringly cute all the same. She even still had her rosy pink cheeks to complement her dark blue eyes. Beneath her Squad Five uniform, her body was fully mature and bursting with healthy curvature. Some of the games in Yachiru's repertoire included flirtation and coyness. But behind her smiling lips and beaming eyes lay the emptiness that hadn't been there before. A bitter sort of resignation that she could never be happy again until she found Zaraki somewhere. But one thing she never did since coming out of reclusion and facing the world once again, she never once shed a tear. Perhaps she had simply cried them all out in private. Ichigo could identify with that as well.

At the end of Ichigo's row stood Shuhei Hisagi. Of all the Squad Captains he had changed the least in the last five hundred years. He still had that unruly mane of dark hair atop his head. That same odd set of lines running down the right side of his face, and that mysterious Number 69 tattoo on his left cheek that he never, ever explained. Shuhei had taken over Squad Nine from the traitorous Kanami Tousen, who'd defected with Sousuke Aizen during the Arrancar crisis. At first the title was interm-based only, but Commander Yamamoto, as one of his last acts before passing away, made the title permanent. Not long after, Hisagi mastered 'Bankai' and cemented his position without question. Everyone in the room respected him for his maturity and humility. He truly was a natural leader.

The ranks opposite the first group stood on the left side of the room. Soi Fong brought up the end of the line closest to the Captain-Commander's podium. To her right stood Isane Kotetsu, Captain of Squad Four following the retirement of Unohana Retsu. She was a tall string-bean of a girl, almost boyish in appearance. Her white hair was braided into a tiny pigtail over her left ear. Her thick eyebrows were still dark with her former hair color. Isane was the tallest woman among any of the other female Captains, almost the same height as Ichigo if the truth be told! She possessed little in the way of actual healing powers, so Isane relied heavily on her subordinates to bolster Squad Four's reputation for being battle medics. In perhaps her wisest move as Captain, she elevated Orihime Inoue to be her Vice Captain, since Inoue's abilties in the healing department were unmatched in the history of Soul Society!

Next to Isane stood Squad Eight's Captain Shinji Masaki. This man was a new face in the relative sense, inasmuch that Ichigo didn't know him too well on a personal level. Masaki had bushy brown hair that almost blended in with his chocolate brown skin. His black eyes were like twin coals, intense yet kind. In the few times Ichigo had interacted with him he seemed a nice enough fellow, but rather disinterested in many things, preferring to keep to himself and read in his study all the time. Those that met him likened him to the former Captain Sousuke Aizen but with darker skin and no glasses.

Squad Twelve Captain Nanao Ise stood beside Masaki with that ever-present book clutched in her left arm. She was once Vice Captain under the retired Shunsui Kyoraku, but her smarts made her more than qualified to take over Squad Twelve from Mayuri Kurutsushi, who'd been excommunicated when some of his... darker experiments had been discovered by Central 46. Taking most of his subordinates and his Vice Captain Nemu with him, Nanao had been forced to literally restaff and reorganize Squad Twelve's Science Division all by herself. Naturally she'd proven up to the task thanks in part to her stern nature and her unerring eye for details. But Nanao was a cold fish to be sure. Unfriendly to most, you didn't want to make her angry. She had way of... chilling the soul when she removed her glasses.

Finally at the end was the buxom, blonde and beautiful Rangiku Matsumoto of Squad Ten. Matsumoto was once the Vice Captain of the Commander Hitsugaya, but she acted often enough more like a teasing older Sister. She was also a lazy sort who liked to skip out on her paperwork and procrastinate the jobs she didn't feel like doing until she had no other recourse. Strength-wise she was more than qualified to be a Captain rank, but her poor organizational skills made her a less than qualified leader. Yet Hitsugaya did nothing about demoting her. Truth be told, Matsumoto was miserable as Captain and Hitsugaya seemed almost to take her unhappiness as a sort of victory. Matsumoto had often teased her superior officer to no end when he was Squad Ten's Captain and much, much younger and smaller. Ichigo suspected that Hitsugaya had promoted, and continued to keep Rangiku as, Squad Ten Captain as a sort of revenge on her for all the licks she got in as a Vice Captain. If so, Toshiro had a rather twisted sense of vengeance.

Rangiku's body was a study in sex-appeal. It looked like Aphrodite herself had taken a chisel and carved Matsumoto out of stone to be an avatar of lust. Long luscious legs, gorgeous hips, ridiculously huge, yet pert breasts. Yellow hair that spilled around her lusty face like a waterfall of liquid gold. Even her lips seemed just too pouty to be natural. But since Ichigo knew there was no such thing as plastic surgery in Soul Society, Matsumoto's form couldn't be anything _but_ natural. It was disconcerting to Kurosaki that he was so attracted to her, yet so turned off by her shallow, almost ditzy, personality. She was a good person, but flighty and whimsical. Thus Ichigo preferred to spend as little time around her as possible.

Finally, the Captain-Commander of the Gotei 13, Toshiro Hitsugaya, entered from a door to the right of the podium. This meeting hall was but a branch of Hitsugaya's much larger house. Only Captains were allowed in here. Anyone else who set foot in here would be severely punished. Hitsugaya was promoted to Captain-Commander after Ginryusai Yamamoto died of extreme old age. Ichigo remembered Toshiro as a deceptively scrawny kid, which was why he was so impressed by how Toshiro had matured. His white hair (in this case not a product of old age, but rather white was his natural hair color) was longer now, resting on his broad shoulders but still containing that spikey style on top. His face had widened and filled out into the very example of manliness. Due to a particularly rough battle 200 years ago, Hitsugaya now had a scar that ran vertically up the right side of his jaw and stopped just below his ear. It was a small scar, but it never really ever went away. Vice Captain Inoue had offered to treat many times, but he turned her down. The scar seemed somehow important to him in a way. Not that looks were ever Toshiro's main concern anyway.

"Is everybody here? Good," he began, stepping up onto the podium. The raised section of floor was only a few inches higher than the rest of the tatami mats, but when the Captain-Commander stood upon it, everyone knew it was time to get down to business. "I'll get right to the point," he said. Toshiro was never one to drag out a briefing. "Three days ago, Central 46 received a transmission from Captain Komamura. This transmission hints at a new problem that, if left unchecked, could swell out of control very quickly. This transmission has been classified _above_ 'Top Secret'. Even your Vice Captains can't know about what I'm about to show you."

Taking out a remote control, Toshiro pointed the clicker at the wall behind him and stepped aside for everyone to watch. A crackly, staticky image of the dog-faced Captain Komamura materialized on the wall screen. He looked positively roughed up and mangled. He was bleeding from one ear and from the corner of his jowls. One of his canines appeared to be broken off at the tip. One of his eyes was scratched out by some horrible claw marks. His physical condition garnered a gasp from some of the female Captains in the room.

"This is Captain Sajin Komamura of Squad Seven broadcasting to Central 46 and Captain-Commander Toshiro Hitsugaya of Seireitei. This is a one-way transmission so please do not try to talk to this image. Listen only, for I have very little time before they find me and so I must be brief. Three days ago several members of my squad discovered the South Senkai Gate of Seireitei, the one leading to the realm called 'Hell', unsecured and left open. After their initial reports, every single member of that team vanished without a trace. I was sent in with my Vice Captain to investigate. What my team found inside the gates of Hell was beyond belief! Souls of the damned wandered around without supervision. Hell's Guardian Cerberus was no longer at his post. We barely even made it past the first circle before my team was set upon by a pack of Demons calling themselves 'The Acolytes'. Their strength was unbelievable! Many of our troops were overwhelmed in the first wave of attack. The rest of us tried to fall back while Iba and myself held them back."

Komamura lowered his head sadly. "Before I knew, even Tetsuzaimon Iba was slain..."

Ikkaku sucked in a horrified gasp and took a step out of rank, but Renji pulled him back and shook his head warningly. Ikkaku gritted his teeth, but let his words go unspoken. Tetsuzaemon Iba was a friend of Madarame's.

"Only by using 'Bankai' have I lasted this long, but I fear my strength is finally giving out," Sajin coughed harshly and more blood came past his lips, a few droplets even splattering on the screen before him. "I have suffered too many injuries, and the Acolytes are relentless. They're breaking down the door right now! All I can give you is this warning! Hell's flame appears to have gone out! Where once fire burned, crags of ice have encoated the landscape! I fear the worst has come to pass... Hell has frozen over!! You must take steps to defend both Soul Society and the real world from the onslaught that is inevitably approaching!"

A muffled bang sounded from behind the Squad Seven Captain, drawing his gaze off-camera. Komamura drew his Zanpakuto and roared a challenge at the unseen antagonists. "Bah! Come at me with everything you've got, foul creatures!" he bellowed. "There is one Shinigami yet in Hell that still draws breath!!" The foxlike Captain disappeared from view even as the image continued to roll. Vague shadows played off the walls of the chamber he was broadcasting from. The roars eventually turned to yelps of pain as the mystery attackers were clearly gaining the upper hand. The unmistakable splattering of blood and tearing of flesh eventually won out over the shouts of pain and determination. Then, everything fell silent for a moment. The tape finally ended with a sickening crunch and a burst of static upon the wall that meant the Soul Recorder Sajin had used was crushed flat.

When the lights came back up, everyone was speechless. Hitsugaya took the podium once again, his pale complexion even pastier than normal. His ice blue eyes were full of a haunted sorrow.

"There can be no doubt Captain Sajin and most of Squad Seven are dead," he began talking again. "The Hell Gate in Southern Seireitei has been resealed and is being guarded by virtually every member of the Kidou Corps. Just yesterday a messenger from the King of Soul Society arrived to tell us that the King's brother, the Lord of Hell, has not communicated at all recently. His Majesty fears the worst in regards to his brother, and has confirmed beyond a shadow of doubt that Hell has indeed frozen over."

"Dear God!" Rukia whispered in horror.

"What does that mean?" Ichigo asked her in confusion.

Rukia shook her head at him as if to say 'not now.'

"I think most of you know full well what this means," Hitsugaya was still talking. "It falls to us to rectify the situation. Hell's fire fuels not only the flames of Hell, but it also provides the basis of the Lord of Hell's power over that realm. That flame is snuffed out, which means the Lord of Hell can no longer keep his subordinate Demons in check. We don't know all that much about this gang calling themselves the Acolytes, but we do know that Demons in general long to escape the confines of their dimension and spread their filth and evil into others. They will likely go after Earth first, and then come for Soul Society. Therefore I have quickly put together the following teams with approval from Central 46. You will all have three days hence to prepare for the coming battle."

Hitsugaya held up a sheet of parchment and read from it: "First! The team of Captains that will take their soldiers and post on Earth will be... Squad Eight!"

"Aye sir!" Captain Masaki stepped forth out of rank.

"Squad Six!"

Renji stepped up. "Aye sir!"

Ichigo expected to be selected next, but was surprised to hear: "Squad Ten!"

"Sir!" Matsumoto stepped up and answered.

"You three will be placed on Earth with your full complement of soldiers to watch for enemy activity," Hitsugaya barked. "Now for the squads defending Soul Society from infiltration: Squad Twelve!"

"Aye Captain!" Nanao answered.

"Squad Nine!"

"Yes sir!" said Hisagi.

"And Squad Four!" Hitsugaya looked at Isane. "Except for your Vice Captain. I'm making a special exception for her."

"As you wish," Isane bowed her head.

"You three Captains will be commanding both your own squadrons, plus the squads belonging to Two, Three, Five, Eleven and Thirteen," Hitsugaya added.

This drew a few raised eyebrows from the aforementioned Squad Captains, who looked questioningly at Toshiro.

"Captains Soi Fong, Kurosaki, Kuchiki, Madarame, and Kusujishi will stay here for further instructions. The rest of you are ordered to get some rest and then start making preparations for the coming deployments," said Hitsugaya.

Six of the twelve gathered Captains left the dojo, leaving the Captain-Commander with those he'd set aside.

"What's going on? Why are you stripping us of all our soldiers?" Ikkaku demanded.

"The five of you will be going on a special mission," Hitsugaya cut off all potential questions with a simple answer. "You, along with your Vice Captains, and one very special guest are going to enter Hell itself with one mission, and one mission only. You are going to _reignite_ the Eternal Flame of Hell. I chose you all for specific reasons. Two of you are my two strongest Captains," he eyed Ikkaku and Ichigo. "One of you is my single most talented Kidou wielder and strategist," he said that directly to Rukia. "Soi Fong is the most expert at stealth and pure fighting ability, while Yachiru is the fastest Shinigami in Soul Society. You guys are the perfect balance of strength, strategy, and maneuverability to form just the team I need to infiltrate Hell and survive long enough to reach the location of the Eternal Flame. Soi Fong, I'll be replacing your Vice Captain on the mission with that of Squad Four's Orihime Inoue. She's Soul Society's best healer and you're going to need her more than any of us."

"I understand," Soi Fong deferred. She never liked her Vice Captain, Marechiyo Omaeda, anyway. "That's a good choice. But can I make one request?"

"What's that?" asked Hitsugaya.

"Replace _his_ Vice Captain as well!" Soi Fong pointed directly at Ichigo. "I will not trust my safety to an Arrancar in a place such as Hell!"

"Hey--!" Ichigo began to snap back, but was restrained by Rukia this time.

"Request denied," Hitsugaya said immediately. "Regardless of your personal feelings, Nel Tu is a competent warrior and the strength of an Arrancar may be just what your team will be needing in Hell."

Soi Fong gritted her teeth angrily and glared daggers at Ichigo before relenting to higher authority.

"Who is this special guest you mentioned?" asked Rukia.

"You'll meet her tomorrow. In the meantime get some rest and go about your normal routines until I call you again. The next time you see me... is the day you'll be starting your quest. Prepare yourselves in whatever way you feel is best..."

**To be continued...**

**NEXT CHAPTER: MONDAY 9/1/08**


	3. Burning Questions

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Bit of a short filler chapter here, I know, but I wanted at least one scene of Rukia in her role as a stern Kidou Instructor at the Academy, plus I felt the whole Hell thing needed to be explained a little more. Bear with me. Starting next chapter things start to accelerate a bit. **

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**Whack**!

Ichigo heard the crack of the wooden sword even before he nudged the door open and entered into the open-air Kidou training facility at the Shinigami Academy. When he turned from closing the door behind him, his eyes fell upon a young-looking trainee who was crouched on the ground, gripping his shoulder with tears stinging his cheeks. Rukia Kuchiki was standing over him with her arms folded, not an ounce of forgiveness or pity in her eyes.

"Wipe your eyes, cadet! Weeping is for ordinary souls, _not _Shinigami!" she shouted down at him ruthlessly. "You'll get no sympathy here, particularly if you don't learn to at least get within five meters of your intended target, you dolt! You stand a better chance of striking your allies than your enemies at this rate!"

Ichigo suppressed a shiver. This was Rukia in classic "instructor" mode. He remembered it well from his short stint at the academy several centuries ago. Ichigo had been so devastatingly poor at Kidou that Rukia labeled him "worse than Renji!" An insult that hurt far more than any of her bokudo strikes to his torso. Unfortunately, Ichigo's skills in that department never markedly improved. He might have failed the academy altogether if it wasn't already generally known among the teachers that he already could achieve Bankai and the training was pretty much just a formality.

Still, Rukia seemed to enjoy those beatings just a tick too much...

The poor trainee stood up and dashed the tears from his eyes, turning his pain into anger and determination. All the other students stood around expectantly.

"_**Eyes on your own business**_! Or _you'll _be tasting my wood as well!!" Rukia shrieked at the others. Immediately everyone went back to casting, or at least trying to cast, various Kidou attacks at targets buried in the hillside directly ahead.

"_Again_!" she barked at the recent failure. The young Shinigami turned and held his hands out at his target, which bore no markings of damage yet.

"Way of Destruction No. 12!" he shouted with a crackly voice. "**White Spark**!"

A bolt of magic leapt out from his hands and streaked out toward the outcropping, but once again the energy veered off target and created another in a long line of craters in the rock. Although the cliff face looked just about ready to collapse from all the damage, Ichigo knew it would just be repaired overnight simply by rearranging the spirit particles that made up the building blocks of everything here in Soul Society.

WHACK! Another resounding hit on the man's other shoulder doubled him over again.

"You're _pathetic_, cadet! I'm starting to wonder just how you thought you could ever cut it as a Shinigami!" Rukia lit into him again with renewed vigor. "Get out of my sight until you can come back here and manage at least a piece of the target! Pray I don't recommend to have you drummed out of Seireitei and back to the cesspool you call your hometown tonight!"

The poor schmuck ran away, clutching his pained shoulder.

Ichigo smirked and began clapping his hands in a sarcastically slow rhythm. "Good one, Captain Kuchiki," he made sure to use her formal title in public. The last time he didn't Rukia made damn certain he was sorry! "Way to bring back the memories of my own schooling."

"_Squad Captain on deck_!" Rukia shouted, sparking all of her students to line up shoulder to shoulder in a single file at attention.

"Good afternoon, Captain Kurosaki!" they bellowed in perfect unison. Ichigo was impressed. Rukia even had them lining up in boy-girl alternating order.

"As you were," Ichigo barked.

"Come here to practice or did you just miss me?" Rukia said when the students broke off and started practicing again.

"Yeah... I'll pass on the practice part," Ichigo looked away. "I think we've both established there's no hope for me in the Kidou department. I'd like to speak with you alone for a moment regarding tomorrow's mission."

"Sure thing," Rukia turned around and used her bully language. "Alright you pathetic wastes of spirit particles! That's all for today! Hit the showers and report to this facility at 0400 tomorrow! Those who are tardy will get a beating they won't soon forget!"

"Yes ma'am!" everyone replied dutifully. They all stopped shooting and began walking away, chatting amongst themselves.

"What are _you _grinning about?" Rukia demanded Ichigo as the two stepped off to a nearby tree. It was unseasonably hot and sunny today and shade was necessary if one had no business being in the sun. Particularly those wearing predominantly black clothing.

"I never get tired of your drill-sergeant routine," Ichigo replied. "Call me a masochist, but I always found that act of yours very sexy."

That actually drew a blush to Rukia's cheeks, but she shrugged it off. "So what do you want to talk about, _Captain_?"

Ouch! "I've been doing a lot of thinking about last night's meeting," Ichigo began. "Have you… Has _anyone_ for that matter… ever been to Hell?"

"For anybody in Soul Society the answer is a certified 'no'," Rukia replied. "The King doesn't allow it under normal circumstances. There hasn't been a Shinigami in that realm in over two thousand years. Hollows are our exclusive province." She studied his expression more closely. "What's _really_ bothering you?"

"Hell freezing over," Ichigo stated. "Back during my lifetime that expression got tossed around very casually... like it was something that could never really possibly happen. But now that I've seen Sajin's message and how seriously Toshiro is taking this situation, I can't help but wonder... Just what does it mean when Hell freezes over? What causes it? How do we get Hell back to the way it used to be?"

"I can understand how the subject of Hell didn't exactly come up in your training," Rukia nodded. "I know only the basics myself. But what I _do_ know about it is that the Eternal Flame provides the power to not only the Lord of Hell, but to Hell itself. There's no natural warmth in Hell, so if the flame goes out, the entire plane very quickly goes into deep freeze."

"So without the Lord of Hell's supervision his minions go wild?" Ichigo guessed.

"Close. Except the Demons of Hell are not really his minions in the purest sense," said Rukia carefully. "It's true the help keep the bad souls that get sent there in line, but they obey the Lord of Hell only out of fear. Fear of his power and his wrath. The Lord of Hell is notoriously quick to anger and punishment, and like the King of Soul Society he has power unto a God. The Demons cannot hope to match his might. As a safeguard against the source of his power being snuffed out, the room in which the Eternal Flame is burning is kept hidden and sealed against sabotage."

"So if his Demons didn't put the flame out, who could have?" asked Ichigo.

"Very few know the location of the Eternal Flame, but that's not to say it couldn't have been learned. As for opening the seals, it would take an extraordinary amount of Kidou power and knowledge. More even than I possess," Rukia leaned against the tree, her brow troubled. "Demons cannot possess Kidou. It is forbidden. Their power is completely based off of spiritual energy. But right now none of that matters. With the Lord of Hell neutralized, his Demons no longer fear his wrath and will move to establish dominion over realms outside of Hell."

"If there won't be any Demons in Hell, why are the five most skilled and powerful Shinigami being sent in there to relight the flame?" asked Ichigo. "Shouldn't we concentrate on defeating the Demons first?"

"No," Rukia said firmly. "That would be an uphill battle at best. There are thousands of Demons. Like Hollows they have many levels, ranging from lowest to highest. The strongest Demons can take several low level Captains on at once. And not all Demons will have left Hell. Some will take advantage of their rivals leaving to try and take over Hell for themselves. Demons are by their very nature greedy. Always wanting more power and domain. As suppressed as their instincts have been over the last several millennia, they ought to be very determined not to allow that flame to be reignited." Rukia held up a finger in warning. "And one more thing. There's more danger in Hell than simply Demons to contend with. It will be a difficult journey from the moment the Senkai Gate opens to the moment we get to our goal."

Ichigo processed all this information as best he could. He still had many more questions, but only one seemed relevant. "One more question," he said. "Who are the Acolytes?"

Rukia shook her head. "No one seems to know. It could simply be a cadre of greater Demons that banded together to increase their chances of success in the Lord of Hell's absence. Or they could be directly responsible for the current situation. One thing is for sure. Together they easily overpowered a Captain-level Shinigami, which means they are _formidable_."

"Is that everything?" Ichigo asked. "I mean... what about this so-called expert we're supposed to go in with? Do you know who it is? Will he know more about the situation?"

"All I can tell you about this special guest is that Toshiro has told me he'll be from the King's personal guard."

"Zero Division?!" Ichigo exclaimed. "Is it Byakuya?"

Byakuya Kuchiki, Rukia's older brother, was selected for the Special 'Zero Division' that directly served as the royal guardians for the King of Soul Society. Each member selected was generally the best of the very best of the Gotei 13 of each generation. That was how Renji ended up with the leadership of Squad Six. Byakuya was the latest candidate selected. Members of Zero Division were granted special favors by the King, including a Soul Boost that extended their natural lives by a good two or three thousand years beyond the norm. Of course normal Shinigami often went their entire lives without seeing the candidates ever again. This meant that Rukia hadn't seen her big brother for some centuries now.

"Toshiro wouldn't say," Rukia blushed slightly. "Which probably means he doesn't know yet either... But I was rather hoping it would be Nii-sama."

Ichigo grinned, knowing Rukia was more excited at the prospect than she was letting on. The two siblings hadn't always gotten along smoothly, but in the years leading up to his departure, Byakuya had taken great strides toward making up for his initial cold-heartedness toward the sister of his late wife. Ichigo actually hoped for Rukia's sake it would be Byakuya, but it could be anybody.

With a fluttering of jet-black wings, a Hell butterfly suddenly descended on the quiet interlude and made its way straight toward Captain Kurosaki. Ichigo held out the pommel of his Zangetsu and the butterfly alighted upon it.

_Come to Captain-Commander Hitsugaya's dojo alone_, it said to him without actually using words. _He wishes to have a word with you._

Ichigo looked to Rukia with raised eyebrows, even though he knew she didn't hear the message. Hell Butterflies only spoke with the people whom their messages were intended for. "Looks like I have to go," he admitted. "Toshiro just called for me. Maybe I'll find something out."

"Very well. It's about time I started home myself," Rukia stretched. "But... I think I'll hang around and get some paperwork up to date first. This mission might take up a lot of time and I don't want to fall too far behind."

"I'll see you later then," Ichigo waved as he took his leave.

Rukia watched him depart with a neutral expression. As soon as the door to the practice arena was closed and Ichigo was out of sight, she looked to her right over her shoulder to the tree she'd just been standing against. "You can come out now. He's gone."

There was a stiff silence as though the person hiding in the background was surprised that she was discovered. Then, very slowly, a green haired, skull-crowned maiden slipped out from behind the tree trunk with a noticeable blush on her face.

"It seems Ichigo is not the only person who can pick out my Reiatsu," she murmured.

"Ichigo is actually pretty thick when it comes to sensing Reiatsu on a subtle level," Rukia chuckled. "If one knows how to conceal it in just the right way, he's as clueless as a stone. But I knew you were here the whole time."

Nel's face fell somewhat. "And here I thought I was getting good at hiding myself."

"You are actually," Rukia encouraged her. "There's only a handful of people in Soul Society with the sensitivity to pick out carefully concealed Reiatsu. But you have a bad habit of letting curiosity or overenthusiasm betray your presence. I'm sure someday you'll be able to go here and there at will. Just don't let Soi Fong catch you snooping around like that. That woman is just looking for any excuse to have you run out of Seireitei permanently."

"I know she doesn't like me," Nel moved out in the open. "I don't like her either. It's not even because of how she feels toward me. I hate the way she treats Ichigo like he doesn't belong here."

Rukia sighed. "I don't like that either. But it's in her nature to be suspicious. But why do you sneak around like you do? As Ichigo's Vice Captain you have every right to go where he goes unless he doesn't want you to go with him." Rukia paused as if suddenly realizing something. "But he _didn't_ want you to come here, did he?"

It was Nel's turn to lean against the tree trunk. "It's like... he doesn't want me around whenever he's with you..."

Rukia had noticed that herself lately. She smiled encouragingly. "That's actually a good sign. He's trying, in his own clumsy way, to spare both our feelings. I think he enjoys having you around. He wouldn't make you his Vice Captain against everyone's wishes if he didn't like you, Nel." Rukia moved over and put a hand on Nel's shoulder. "And I know _you_ wouldn't stalk him like you do if you didn't have the world's biggest crush on him. Don't think I'm blind. Like Ichigo I've known you since you were little. I had my chance with him. It's your turn now. I won't get in the way if you just confess your feelings to him."

"I--" Nel's voice caught in her throat. "Do you really not love him anymore?"

"Love was never our problem," Rukia almost choked on the mountainous lump that rose in her throat. "But I'm not the one for him. I realize that now. Ichigo is too immature and stubborn to accept that right now, but I think if you tried hard enough you could convince him otherwise. Rather... I _want_ you to convince him otherwise. If he doesn't learn to let go then it's only going to hurt him in the end and I don't want to be the cause of any of his pain." Rukia realized her vision was getting misty as she spoke, so she wiped at her eyes a little. "Damn dust," she said with a forced smile.

Nel looked less than convinced at Rukia's sincerity, but she seemed a little more emboldened than before and she took a bow in front of the Squad Thirteen Captain. "I'll... think about what you said, Captain Kuchiki. Thank you for the advice," she said.

**Next Chapter: Tuesday 9/2**


	4. Zero Division Commander Matsumoto

**Author's Note: I know I'm a day late with this chapter. I'm sorry. I took a trip to Oregon on Monday and then I worked all day yesterday and couldn't finish writing in time. To the handful of people who actually care... Thanks for being patient.**

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Ichigo removed his sandals as he stepped into the dojo of Captain-Commander Hitsugaya. There was no one else in the room at the moment. All was quiet. Not one who liked waiting, Ichigo decided to forgo manners and get somebody's attention.

"Hey! Toshiro! It's me, Ichigo! I'm here like you ordered!" he said loudly.

A door at the opposite side of the dojo opened to reveal Hitsugaya, who, judging by the way he glowered at Ichigo, had obviously heard the Squad Three Captain loud and clear.

"It's _Commander Hitsugaya_ to you!" he grumped. "How is it that no matter how high in rank I become you and Matsumoto continually belittle me?!"

"Don't be like that. I thought by now we were friends," said Ichigo, using his usual excuse.

"We _are_," Toshiro closed the door behind him. "But just this once would you at least _pretend_ to observe the traditions of respect? The guest we're about to have is too important for me to tolerate you calling me on a first name basis. It would be in your best interest if you wish to remain a Squad Captain."

"What's all this?" Ichigo stepped to the center of the room and sat down on one of three cushions arranged in a line before a much larger blue cushion. Ichigo had done this sort of thing enough times to know not to take the large cushion, nor to take the one in the middle of the group of three. That was Toshiro's spot. The ranking officer always sat in the middle of one of these arrangements. Ichigo took the cushion on the right facing the large cushion.

"You're finally going to meet the special guest from the King's court who is going to be leading your group into Hell," Toshiro took the cushion in the center.

"So that's it," Ichigo nodded. "But what's the third cushion on the left for?"

"Vice-Captain Inoue is going to be joining us," Toshiro replied, getting comfortable in an Indian-style position.

As if on cue the doors at the end of the dojo opened again and inside stepped a familiar orange-haired girl in a Shinigami's black robe. She had large, dark brown eyes that seemed to make her look so young and innocent. Yet these cute facial features were belied by her very womanly bosom that was nearly as large in circumference as Rangiku's pair. Her long locks were kept out of her face by two light blue, snowflake hairpins she had possessed since she was a mortal girl.

Ichigo smiled hopefully at Orihime as she too kicked off her sandals and stepped up on the tatami floor.

"Commander Hitsugaya. I'm glad to see you're well. How's Momo?" Orihime seemed to skip right over Ichigo and talk straight at Toshiro, as if he wasn't there.

"She's doing very well, thank you," Toshiro said over his shoulder. "I'll pass along your greetings when I get home tonight. She'll be glad to hear from you. Please, come sit down. You're right on time."

"Yes sir," Orihime moved toward her designated cushion.

"Inoue."

The sound of Ichigo's voice seemed to freeze her directly in her tracks and when she did acknowledge him, it was as if she was trapped in slow motion.

"Captain Kurosaki…" she breathed. "I'm sorry… H-how are you doing today?"

__

Captain Kurosaki? She never seemed to want to get off of that formality no matter how hard Ichigo tried. His brow crinkled up as she took her seat without waiting for his answer. Something about Orihime's behavior around him always made him feel like he didn't belong in the same room as her. That coldness… the constant forgetfulness of his existence… the distant formality… These were all traits she showed him and only him. Everyone else got to see the _real_ Orihime. There was a time long ago when she used to look at him the same way.

Another painful memory clawed at his attempts to suppress it as he took his eyes off of her and looked at the floor in shame. Orihime Inoue… Once he would have fancied her a love of his life. Now she was a persistent reminder of his _greatest failure_! It hurt just to talk with her anymore.

Toshiro, like everyone else who knew them the way they used to be, knew how hard this was on Ichigo. Without a word he reached out and squeezed Kurosaki's shoulder in unspoken sympathy.

It wasn't that Orihime hated Ichigo. It was nothing so obvious as that. It was simply as if her mind had been reprogrammed to forget about him each and every time they parted. Thanks to the horrible damage done to her mind she seemed terrified of Ichigo's very presence and strove to ignore him every time as if to hide behind her own ignorance for protection.

But now was not the time to dwell on past mistakes. Before Ichigo could begin drowning in his self-loathing, the door that Hitsugaya entered through opened once more and a large-breasted, ebony haired woman stepped through the doorway.

"W-what the…?!" Ichigo stammered as he beheld possibly the most physically attractive woman he had ever laid eyes on.

"Welcome to my humble dojo, Zero Division Commander Midori Matsumoto," Commander Hitsugaya prostrated himself as if he were greeting royalty to his own home.

Ichigo was too flabbergasted to process much of anything at this point. The woman who moved as gracefully as a ghost toward her designated cushion seemed almost too perfect to be true. Her skin was like polished ivory, nary a blemish upon it. Her lips almost seemed made to be kissed and had a natural dark red hue. Her dark eyes had the depth of outer space within them and shimmered like twin pools of water. Her long hair fell below her waist, clashing with the snow-white mantle of a Kimono that looked like it belonged at a wedding. All the while her broad hips sashayed from side to side almost of their own accord, as if the woman couldn't help but walk enticingly. Her chest was concealed by her kimono, but not suppressed. Ichigo had hardly thought it possible, but her breasts almost seemed _larger_ than the epic proportions of one Rangiku Matsumoto!

Wait! _This _woman's name was Matsumoto as well! Could they be related in some way?! He wondered.

"Kurosaki! Inoue! _Bow_!" Hitsugaya's voice hissed from below. Orihime quickly followed Toshiro's lead and prostrated in traditional Japanese woman's fashion. Ichigo continued to be transfixed by the new arrival and stayed frozen in place, his jaw slackened by disbelief.

Midori Matsumoto lowered herself to her cushion, her eyes drawn to the one Shinigami who dared not to grovel before her. But instead of being angry or insulted, she bubbled out a small laugh and reached out to push Ichigo's bottom jaw back together with the rest of his skull.

"Careful, 'strawberry-kun'," she nicknamed him out of the blue. "I hear flies don't taste all that good. So you shouldn't try catching them in such a manner."

"Uhhhhh…." Ichigo replied wordlessly.

"Alright you two," Midori clapped her hands softly. "That's enough groveling. Toshiro-chan! Let me see that adorable face of yours again after all these years."

Toshiro straightened up with a blush on his face. Though he was all grown up now, somehow this woman made him look like the young Squad Ten Captain Ichigo first met all those years ago.

"You look so manly now! How dashing!" Midori gushed flirtatiously. "I'll bet Rangiku won't leave you alone for a second! So when are you going to give in and marry my daughter?"

Ichigo almost toppled off of his cushion on that one. Without thinking he sprang to his feet and jabbed an index finger in Midori's direction. "Y-y-you're… _You _are Rangiku Matsumoto's **_Mother_?!"** he bellowed.

Midori looked surprised for a second, but then beamed upward at him. "You're _cute_! Are you really that surprised? Don't you see the family resemblance?" With that she hunched her shoulders, causing some of her cavernous cleavage to spill out of her kimono's folds.

Ichigo collapsed, rather than sat, back down on his cushion in shock. "I… N-no, I guess I can see… the resemblance now," he stuttered. "Wait! _You're_ going to be leading us into _Hell_?"

"You can say I have a little experience with the place," Midori purred. "But enough about me. I've heard _so_ much about _you_! So many people in court are rumoring about how you're the strongest Shinigami to ever pick up a Zanpakuto! I wanted to see for myself so I volunteered for this mission. Byakuya wanted to go originally, but he's never been to Hell before, so the King appointed me from my experience. I'm so glad he made that decision too, because you're _definitely _one of the cutest Shinigami I've ever seen before."

Ichigo's face nearly ignited into flames. Was this woman, who was supposedly better at fighting than even he was, _really_ from the legendary Zero Division??

"Oh! And Orihime Inoue! The 'Great Healer'!" Midori turned her loving attention on Squad Four's Vice Captain. "We've had our eye on you since the Arrancar Crisis half a millennium ago! I'm so glad you could make it! You look just like my daughter in so many ways!"

Orihime laughed nervously and covered up her chest with her arms in embarrassment. "Eheheh… I actually… get that a lot," she returned with the charming bashfulness she was famous for.

Ichigo leaned over to the commander while the two girls traded niceties back and forth. "Are you sure about this? She seems a little bit..."

"Flighty?" Toshiro closed his eyes. "Yes, she's Rangiku's mother alright. The two of them are like peas in a pod."

_Or like Cantelopes in a blanket,_ thought Ichigo, gravitating once again toward the pendulous objects swimming inside the white kimono without even thinking about it.

"But unlike Matsumoto, I can actually tolerate _this_ woman," Toshiro continued.

"Why's that?" whispered Ichigo.

"Because Midori is the lady who convinced me to become a Shinigami," Toshiro revealed. "Momo tried recruiting me for years, but I always scorned the Shinigami. Even when I knew full well I was stronger than she was, I just didn't want to apply myself to anything other than sitting around. Then Midori, who was Squad Ten's Captain at the time, paid me a visit and sweet-talked me into trying out. The rest is history. When Midori was called to Zero Squadron, I was picked to take her place. She's got a way with people. They just can't help but be enchanted by her," a slight blush came to Toshiro's face. "I remember The Shinigami always had a name for her too."

"What name was that?" Ichigo leaned in further.

"They called her... 'Sugoi no Kaa-Sama'," said Toshiro. "_Big Mama_."

Ichigo _did _fall off his cushion at the mention of that utterly ridiculous, yet strangely accurate nickname, drawing Midori's attention away from Orihime for a moment. "Goodness! Are you alright?" she cooed. "You're a lot clumsier than the rumors say."

Ichigo tried to sputter a response out, but instead he straightened back up and composed himself with an embarrassed cough. Averting his eyes so as to keep from getting lost in Midori's, Ichigo decided to bite the bullet and pose the question that was bothering him the most.

"So tell me. How are we going to relight this Eternal Flame thingy?"

Midori looked taken aback for only a second, then she sighed. "Straight to business I see," she said with a little less honey in her voice. "You and Toshiro are quite alike in many ways." She stood up and moved back onto her cushion.

"The Eternal Flame can only be relit using a specific object," Midori said, digging into the pocket of her Kimono. "It's an artifact kept safe by the King himself. Entrusted to me for this mission," she held out a small box-like metal device that looked suspiciously like a butane lighter. Ichigo had a hard time keeping a straight face as he looked at it closely. He was almost afraid to ask:

"How does it work?"

"It's easy," Midori smiled, flipping open the cover. "You just open the top up like so and click the button with your thumb!" A quick spark preceded the ignition of a tiny little orange flame atop the spout. Ichigo pitched over and slammed his face on the floor in exasperation. He just as quickly recovered and sprang up angrily, shouting in her face with enough force to blow her hair back behind her:

"**_STOP SCREWING WITH ME, LADY! THAT'S JUST A PLAIN OLD ORDINARY CIGARETTE LIGHTER!!_**"

Midori recoiled like a dainty little lady who wasn't used to being screamed at, her eyes all watery and full of tears. "B-but... This is the 'Lighter of the Eternal Fire'," she protested meekly. "This is the only object in the universe that can relight that flame."

"Give me a break!" Ichigo threw his arms up and turned to Toshiro for assistance.

Toshiro was not laughing. "That lighter doesn't work on crude fossil fuels like the lighters back in the real world," he clarified. "It runs off of spirit energy just like everything else in the afterlife. The flame that ignites from it is a special flame unlike any other in existence. The Creator of Hell, Soul Society, _and_ Earth entrusted it to the King thousands of years ago. You should be glad that such an important object is made so easy to use. The rest of your mission will not be as simple."

Ichigo collapsed back onto his cushion. "Alright, alright," he huffed. "As long as she knows how to kickstart that fire and lead us to the right locations I no longer care how or what we need." Something occurred to Ichigo just then. "Wait! If you're from the King's Division then you must know something about who we're up against! Do you know who the 'Acolytes' are, lady?"

Toshiro, having had enough of Ichigo's behavior toward his superior officer, spun around. "Look, Captain! You call her Commander Matsumoto, or Lady Midori! _Not _Lady, okay?!" he exclaimed. "I can't believe how disrespectful you're acting!"

"Toshiro, it's alright," Midori tittered. "I personally find his brutish, angry persona charming. You don't know how many people I work with every day are so dry and unlively, it's maddening."

"Brutish?" Ichigo felt like he'd been slapped in the face.

"And to answer your question, Ichigo. All we know is this," Midori suddenly got more serious as she held up her finger to punctuate her point. "The Acolytes are a renegade group of Demons with no love lost for the Lord of Hell. They've turned his realm into their fortress, knowing that the Shinigami will come and try to restore the status quo. They will fight you to the last man to prevent you from succeeding, even as their minions flood the outer realms and attempt to take over. To a person they are each several times more powerful than a Vasto Lorde! Right now there are seven of them, and each of them are guarding their own circle of Hell. We'll have to fight each and every one of them to get to where we're going."

"More to the point, they're not alone," Toshiro continued for her. "Likely they'll have convinced quite a few souls down there to join their cause so they can attain freedom from Hell's torment. _Billions_ of wicked souls will try to hamper your progress in any way they can in an attempt to wear you down and make you turn back. It's a veritable army of the damned you'll be facing."

Ichigo swallowed hard. "And you want just the five of us and our Vice Captains to go down there?"

"Hey! I'll be going along tooooo!" Midori whined plaintively.

"This is not a job an ordinary Shinigami can survive," Toshiro said tightly. "Going in there with an army at your back will only draw attention and waste lives. A small group can stand a better chance of getting in and out with relatively little damage. And if it does come to it, your group comprises five of the most talented Captains, including a member of Zero Division."

Both of them looked at Midori, who seemed to be weeping in a corner over having been treated like she wasn't even in the room anymore. Both Captains sweat-dropped upon seeing that.

"D-despite what she looks like... She's actually... quite formidable," Toshiro had to fight to keep his irritation back. "And... Most imporantly, Zero Division fighters know a different kind of 'Bankai'. One that releases their _own_ potential rather than their sword's. It's a forbidden technique only they can learn and use in battle. Trust me when I tell you that Midori's power... likely rivals your own, Ichigo."

Ichigo stood up just then. "Okay, I get it," he surrendered. "But why is Orihime here for all this?" He indicated the nigh-neglected Squad Four Vice Captain.

"She's here for healing of her own," Toshiro said to Ichigo. "You were here just to be introduced to your new teammate. Orihime will be here for treatment."

"Treatment?" Ichigo repeated numbly.

Toshiro actually smiled hopefully. "Midori thinks... That she can possibly reverse the damage done on Orihime's mind by Ulquiorra all those years ago."

"_Seriously?!_" Ichigo exploded, looking over at Commander Matsumoto.

"Now, now," Midori waved off his enthusiasm with an embarrassed flush to her cheeks. "I specifically said _maybe. _It might work and it might not, but regardless it's something I'll have to do with her alone."

"Oh..." Ichigo was brought up short. "Why alone?"

"Because..." Midori sobered up again. "_You_, Captain Kurosaki, are the _root_ of her inner torment."

Ichigo fell back a step, feeling that familiar stab to his heart. Only this time it was a little more sharp than usual. For years he had told himself those very words, but someone was always around to console him and insist that it wasn't true. Ichigo never realized, until now, how much that accusation could hurt coming from someone else. "Oh," he said again, tightly. "I guess... I'll take my leave then..." he bowed at the waist and quickly exited the dojo, sparing one last glance back at Orihime, who didn't even turn to watch him depart.

"Aww! Did he misunderstand me?" Midori fretted. "He looked so sad just now."

"_Anybody_ would have misunderstood _that_ tone," Toshiro chided his superior. "But he'll get past it. Ichigo... has always kind of known it was his fault Orihime got this way." He looked over at Orihime, who smiled back innocently.

"Who's fault? Who are we talking about again?" she asked as if Ichigo had never existed in her little world.

Toshiro felt a squeeze to his heart. Poor Ichigo. And he'd had to endure that for 500 years. "Please tell me you can help her," he begged Midori.

The look he got in return was optimistic, but not entirely certain. "I'll do what I can. The King, after all, has plans... for both Orihime _and_ for Ichigo."

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**NEXT CHAPTER: FRIDAY 9/5**


	5. Squad Five Captain: Yachiru Kusujichi!

She sat alone, in the dark. Her dark maroon eyes long burned red by her tears. Her pink hair was matted and clumpy, a sign she hadn't bothered washing it in the past few days. The robe she wore was exactly the same robe she'd been wearing during the past week. Occasionally a stifled sob would escape her lips, but no tears were left to accompany her sadness. She couldn't even muster the will to move. To live. She simply sat all alone, in the dark, upon an unmade bed with a tattered old white Captain's cloak clutched in her arms. It was all she had left of the man she once looked upon as an older brother... a _much_ older brother that is.

Many had come to console her. To try and coax her out of her isolation. But Yachiru Kusujichi would not be consoled. She wouldn't even talk to anyone. Couldn't bring herself to make eye contact or to smile. Everything seemed so empty, so meaningless, without Zaraki Kenpachi in Soul Society. Yachiru hadn't even eaten in days, yet she could feel no hunger from the depths of her misery. She barely felt thirst. The only sign she hadn't drank water yet that day was due to her parched, chapped lips. Her skin was pale and drawn. The very color had left her once rosy cheeks.

Zaraki Kenpachi was gone. Without him, surely nothing would ever be the same again.

Zaraki hadn't even left a note to give his reasons for leaving. Yachiru always thought she knew everything there was to know about Ken-chan. She thought she might have sensed the change in his behavior, the difference in his actions. She ought to have noticed perhaps the way he talked differently. Did he perhaps smile a bit less in the days before he up and left? She couldn't be sure. No matter how many times she went over her recent memories Zaraki didn't seem the slightest bit unhappy or disgruntled. His last words to Yachiru were the same as they always were every evening:

"Goodnight, you little brat. I suppose I'll see you in the morning," he grumped as he slouched off. The words themselves sounded harsh to those who didn't know the two of them very well, but Yachiru had come to see the endearment hidden in that common phrase. Zaraki was not an emotional man. His version of affection was to swing a sword at people. If he couldn't do that, then he simply bottled his feelings up. He could no sooner tell Yachiru he loved her than could he throw down his sword and vow never to fight again. So Yachiru learned to read _past_ his emotional barricades. Of all the people in Soul Society she understood Zaraki more than anyone else, even more than Ikkaku could.

She of all people should have sensed he was ready to leave. But it seemed in the end he had fooled her as well.

"Why couldn't you take me with you?" she whimpered the same words over and over to herself, hoping maybe she could find the answer in the deathly silence she'd surrounded herself with. But each time the answer was the same.

No answer.

Outside her home, time continued to flow forward. The sun shone down with the heat of Summer as people went about their everyday lives. Occasionally she would hear a couple of people talking happily amongst themselves as they walked close to her window. The strips of sunlight punching through the cracks in Yachiru's wooden shutters told her when it was daytime out. But Yachiru didn't want to go outside anymore. She was afraid. Everything would be different outside without Zaraki there with her. Staying in here with the fading scent of Zaraki Kenpachi lingering in the cloak in her arms seemed her only safety net. At one point she even made the decision that she would like to die like this. To just fade away along with Zaraki's smell. Quietly. Silently. To disappear like he had without so much as a whisper.

Time, for Yachiru Kusujichi, Vice-Captain of Squad Eleven, had come to a complete standstill.

On the eighth day of Yachiru's mourning, there came a knock at her door yet again. Yachiru didn't even bother answering it. She'd grown tired of the incessant well-wishers and sympathizers days ago and bolted her front door against any more visitors.

But this visitor didn't go away. He kept pounding away at her door, harder and harder, until even Yachiru's long-dead nerves began to crackle with annoyance and anger. Why didn't this fool go away like all the others?!

Finally, having had enough, the knocker decided instead to smash his way inside the building. Yachiru actually came to her feet and looked directly at the rude visitor. The sun was behind him, so at first she couldn't make him out. Her eyes were so unused to light at that point that she felt her headache come back with a vengeance as her eyes struggled to adjust.

"Well I'm glad to see you're still alive..." said the visitor in a familiar voice. "Did you really think locking the door would keep everyone away? That's just about the biggest cry for help you can possibly utter."

It took her a few seconds to place the voice with a face in her head, but finally she identified him. "Captain... Kurosaki?"

The orange-haired Shinigami stepped into the house and lifted the door back off the floor and into its customary place, though its hinges were horribly warped and broken from the force of his entry. "I don't particularly like locked doors," he explained while he did this, as if that were some form of apology. "They make me want to try harder to break through them."

_Just like Ken-chan_, Yachiru thought painfully, biting her lower lip. "Why are you here?" she asked defensively. "You're the _last_ person I want to see next to Ikkaku."

"That's 'Captain Madarame' to you," Ichigo informed her, taking a step closer. "He just got promoted yesterday to Squad Eleven Captain in Zaraki's stead."

"Good for him," Yachiru replied insincerely. Inwardly she couldn't help noting how quickly Seireitei seemed eager to replace Zaraki. Yachiru's heart filled with bitterness at the thought.

"Don't hold it against him. It's not his fault," Ichigo moved closer until he stood over her. Yachiru was taller than she used to be, but still only came up to Kurosaki's chest. "I came here to talk to you because no one else can seem to get through to you."

"Get through to me?" Yachiru mocked his words. "What makes you think you can even_ try_?"

"Because I understand your pain," Ichigo stated.

"_You know **nothing** about me_!" Yachiru shouted in a sudden burst of anger. A mass of pink energy coalesced in the air over her head. Two glaring, catlike eyes seemed to blaze balefully at Ichigo. This was the common manifestation of Yachiru's anger, quite intimidating to most.

"Just because you were Ken-chan's favorite sparring partner doesn't make you the authority on _**me**_!" Yachiru shouted. Suddenly, a wave of dizziness came over Yachiru, forcing her to collapse. The energy above her head dissipated. She hadn't eaten in so long that just getting angry was draining her reserves. A strong arm caught Yachiru around the middle, however, and kept her from hitting the floor face first.

Suddenly she was wrapped in a pair of strong arms in a tight hug. Her vision was blocked by a white cloak, beneath which she could hear the strong thumping of a heart deep inside Ichigo's chest.

"I'm only going to say this once so pay attention," Ichigo said softly. "You think your pain is so much worse than anything anyone else in this world has ever experienced and that gives you the right to give up on life. I know because I felt the same exact pain once. My mother was taken from me at a much younger age than you are at right now. I blamed myself for her death. I thought things would be better if I just died. The fact is, she was as much my world as Zaraki was yours. Now you never had a mother that you can recall... But I know for a fact that Zaraki was the closest thing to a Father you could ever have. But you see... The difference between you and I is that Zaraki is still alive somewhere. He's not dead. He just went off somewhere, probably, knowing him, to bigger and better challenges. Just like he came to Seireitei and became a Captain to fight bigger and better enemies, that's probably why he left this time as well."

"But why did he have to leave _me_?!" Yachiru erupted into a cyclone of sobs as Ichigo's words cut straight to the heart.

"Because every parent knows that a child can only grow so much under their watch," said Ichigo, tightening his hug. "Eventually, they have to cut them loose. Let them fly on their own. If you had followed Zaraki to wherever he went off to, you would never grow past what you are now. You would always have been Yachiru, Kenpachi's little sidekick. Don't you see, Yachiru?? Zaraki wanted you to become _Yachiru Kusujichi_, the strongest girl in Soul Society! There was no way you could have become truly strong unless he cut you loose and drifted away!"

Yachiru pulled away just enough so she could look up into Ichigo's face. Though he was often rough and a bit of a grump, Ichigo had one of those smiles that could literally melt away fear and despair. He was using that smile upon her now, and damned if she couldn't feel her own uncertainty blowing away.

"You'll see Zaraki again someday," Ichigo told her. "That old bastard is too stubborn to die. If you waste away now, you'll never get the chance to see him when that day comes. He's going to want you to be stronger when he sees you again. You're going to have to show him what you can do on your own. Hell, _kick his ass_ if that's what it takes to prove to him you're strong! If you do that, then nothing will make him happier. But if you give up now... Zaraki will never have any respect for you. And you'll always be that little brat to him."

Perhaps Ichigo said more, but Yachiru couldn't remember. So overcome with exhaustion, hunger, thirst, and comfort over Ichigo's consolement was she that she passed out right there in his arms. When she woke up again, she was in the infirmary with Captain Kotetsu personally overseeing her recovery. Intravenous fluids were pumping life back into Yachiru's veins. Ichigo wasn't there to see her awaken, but he did drop by now and again to check her progress. Yachiru felt like a great weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Somehow, the orange-haired Captain of Squad Three had said exactly the words she needed to hear.

It took months before Yachiru was even close to the way she used to be, but the fact remained that Ichigo's words that fateful day had saved her life. Her inner strength had grown since that turning point, as had her admiration for Captain Kurosaki. With his guidance, she achieved the release level of 'Bankai' faster than anyone ever had, save for Ichigo and Captain Abarai, who had both done it in three days! Yachiru took almost a week, but the accomplishment was still significant. Within two years, Yachiru was leading her own division. It was a dramatic turnaround for the young Shinigami.

And she owed it all to Captain Kurosaki. Though she had known him a long time as a friend of Zaraki's, she was still surprised that he of all people would have been the one to inspire her to separate her destiny from Captain Kenpachi.

Now she was going to be part of the special task force that would enter Hell and attempt to thaw the place out. Yachiru was afraid in a way, but also excited that she would be fighting in an actual battle alongside Ichigo, Rukia, and Ikkaku. She knew this mission was the farthest thing from fun and games, but fighting with the three people in this world she liked the most after Ken-chan was almost like a dream come true. Two Captains fighting side by side in the same mission was rare enough, let alone five at the same time! And all their Vice Captains would be along as well. The only thing that could possibly make this adventure better in her mind would be if they ran into Ken-chan while in Hell.

There came a knocking at Yachiru's door, causing the pink-haired Shinigami to turn away from the window she was gazing out of while she strolled down memory lane. "Enter," she commanded, knowing who it most likely was.

Sure enough, Katsuo Yoshida, Vice Captain of Squad Five, pushed the door aside and stepped in with a bow. The blonde-haired young man was the same age as Yachiru, though worlds apart in power level. His figure was almost rail-thin and bony to the eye. He kept his uniform in top condition and appearance at all times as he had a bit of an obsessive compulsive disorder. Yachiru found him to be a little boring compared to most other people she knew, but she made him Vice Captain because his organizational skills and impeccable work ethic made it despicably easy for her to dump all of her paperwork and most of her ceremonial duties off on him. He accepted these chores with quiet resignation and seldom put up an argument. Sometimes Yachiru felt bad for doing that, but part of her was convinced he secretly enjoyed all these menial tasks. He certainly did his tasks well.

"Did you get the stuff I wanted?" Yachiru asked with a hint of an edge to her voice.

"Yes, Captain," Yoshida reached into his robe and pulled out a leather sack. "The candy you ordered from the 5th District Candy Shop you requested."

Yachiru snatched the sack in the blink of an eye and dumped its contents out onto her desktop. Her eyes lit up when she saw the coveted sugar-coated jelly candies that Ichigo called "Gum Drops." She'd been wanting to try them for weeks now. Popping one into her mouth, all her tension seemed to bleed out all at once. This was what heaven really was... candy! Rangiku warned her repeatedly that eventually that stuff would go straight to her hips, but Yachiru didn't particularly care or worry about those sorts of things.

"It's wonderful!" she sighed as she swallowed the first one, sparkles of ecstasy dancing in her vision. "It's everything I hoped for and more!"

"I'm, uh... glad you like them," Yoshida piped up. "Just please don't eat them all at once. You don't want to get sick prior to your mission."

"Yoshida!"

Her Vice Captain cringed at the sudden intensity of her tone. "Y-yes Captain?" he stammered uncertainly.

Yachiru spun around and gave her lieutenant her cutest possible expression. "Do you think you could make it a habit of bringing me more of these Gum Drops on a weekly basis from now on? And if that candy shop comes out with _anything_ new in the meantime I demand to know. Okay?"

And just like that, Yoshida had a new job. Candy-fetcher. He almost heaved a frustrated sigh, but caught himself just in time. It wasn't his place to say no to his Captain's orders. He had to keep remembering that even though she already worked him to the bone. "As you wish," he said haltingly. "I also came to give you a message from Captain-Commander Hitsugaya. The task force to enter Hell is scheduled to meet tomorrow for one final briefing as a complete team at six o' clock sharp..."

He trailed off as he realized his Captain wasn't listening. She was blissfully gorging herself on the multi-colored chewy candies and much to his dismay she was already more than halfway done with the first haul. How in the name of Soul Society did Captain Kenpachi keep this girl fed all those years? She was like a bottomless pit when it came to sweets!

"Why couldn't I have gotten a Vice Captain's job with Sixth Squad, or even the fourth?" he mumbled to himself. "This girl is going to run me into the ground."

There was no answer to his question to be had. Instead, he felt a sudden vibration in the floorboards beneath his feet. A distant crashing noise drifted in through the open window behind Yachiru's desk. Captain Kusujichi had heard the commotion and felt the impact as well. She stopped chewing and turned toward the window. Yoshida ventured over to take a look for himself.

By the time he got there, Yachiru was focused on something far off in the distance. A plume of smoke was rising just beyond the outer wall of Seireitei. Some of the far off buildings looked to be flattened, as if by some huge foot. The faint echo of screams punctuated the silence between each new sound of explosions and smashing wood. Her eyes focused on a large silhouette framed against the starry night sky. The glowing red eyes of some formless beast, all six of them, sparkled with an inner fire. Whatever that was out there, it was not a denizen of Soul Society.

"A-a Menos Grande?" Yoshida guessed, backing up a step fearfully. "Here? Now??"

"No," Yachiru said, suddenly all serious. "It's Reiatsu is completely different. More powerful."

"I should go inform Commander Hitsugaya," Yoshida took a step toward the door.

"There's no time!" Yachiru stopped him. "Send a Hell Butterfly instead. Muster the Fifth Squad and prepare to deploy to First District! Your job will be evacuating civilians from the danger zone!" She went by her bed and picked up her Zanpakuto. "_I'm_ going to handle the beast myself," she declared.

**TO BE CONTINUED. **

**NEXT CHAPTER: Whenver the hell I feel like it. I'm done trying to set deadlines for myself. I never actually make any of them on time anyway.**


	6. Yachiru's Zanpakuto revealed!

"Captain Kusujichi! Everything is in order!" Vice Captain Yoshida greeted his leader at the South Rukon Gate with a bow.

"Is everyone present and accounted for?" Yachiru asked curtly.

"Yes, Captain! We move on your signal!"

"Open the gate," Yachiru commanded the massive gatekeeper, Sadachimaru. "Fan out and look for survivors among the wreckage and keep a wide perimeter around myself and the beast. We don't want any more damage to get through than has already been inflicted."

"**_Hai_**!" Everyone in the squad responded enthusiastically.

The gatekeeper pulled a giant lever, and the section of wall blocking the entrance from Soul Society into Seireitei proper rose into the air, revealing a short bridge that spanned a water-filled moat. Just on the other side, Yachiru could more clearly see the monster that was destroying First District. It was enormous, about the size of five Menos Grande lumped together! It stood on four legs and was covered in jet black fur from head to toe. Six pairs of glowing red eyes blazed from three separate heads, shaped like canines, and connected to the same body at the shoulders. Three whiplike tails sprouted from its hindquarters as well. So absorbed was the beast in wrecking homes and chasing screaming people around that it seemed to miss the opening of Seireitei for the moment.

"Move out!" Yachiru put her right hand on the hilt of her Zanpakuto. With her left she grabbed the sheath and braced her thumb against the flower-shaped guard, prepared to draw her weapon.

Squad Five bolted out as one unit and scattered to cover different sections of the city. Yachiru reached the opposite side of the bridge and leaped into the air in the direction of the three-headed dog.

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

Midori Matsumoto slammed her empty sake cup down on the table top and smirked at her daughter sitting across the way. "Ha! Your move, sweetie. That's number ninety-nine. You're starting to look a wee bit shaky there, Rangiku."

Rangiku Matsumoto glared back at the older woman with a red face and unfocused eyes. True enough the strawberry blonde was starting to sway on her seat cushion, but Midori was impressed. Her daughter could hold her liquor much better than she used to.

"Youuu... haven't -_hic_- beaten me yyyyet Shweetheart," she slurred. "I'll have you know I'm -_hic_- the greatesht drinking champion in Sheireituh... Sheireitaaaa... Sheirei... Awww fuck it all! I'm the bessht drinker!"

"Honey, face facts," Midori smiled sweetly. "You're a thousand years too early still to beat me. I mean, I'm barely buzzing right now and you look like you're about one more shot from keeling over."

"Thatsh what -_hic_- you think!" Rangiku blustered. "Jusshhht watch me!" She reached for her new sake cup, but missed grabbing it the first few times. Finally she got a purchase on the small dish and tipped it back toward her lips. Half the liquid spilled out of her mouth and ran down her face, neck, and ultimately into the valley of her deep cleavage. Still, Rangiku had clearly had enough. She dropped the cup onto the floor and swayed dangerously side to side before finally tilting to the left and letting gravity take over. In seconds, the Captain of Squad Ten was snoring on the floor.

"One hundred cups of sake," Midori said adoringly. "Rangiku, Mommy's so proud of you! You've definitely inherited my tolerance. With a little work, you might actually get up to my level." Midori took a blanket from off the bed and spread it over Rangiku carefully. After that, she headed for the door, glad to have spent a little quality time with her little girl before having to go off on separate missions.

Upon exiting her daughter's house, Midori was slightly surprised to see Commander Hitsugaya standing across the street, leaning against the wall with his arms folded.

"It would seem irresponsibility runs in the family," Toshiro commented. "You _know_ she has to deploy tomorrow."

"She's grown much stronger in the last few centuries," Midori replied. "Thank you for looking out for her. She may be older than you, but she's still so childlike in so many ways."

Toshiro's expression softened somewhat. "Sometimes I wonder if she'll ever grow up."

"She'll be fine," said Midori. "When I last left her, she wasn't fit to even be a Vice Captain. Now she's a Squad leader. But no matter what she'll always be the carefree type. She takes after myself after all."

"Well anyway," Toshiro pushed himself off the wall. "I'm sure that hangover tomorrow will build at least a little bit of character. So... Do you have designs on inebriating any of my other Captains, or are you done with your little reunion tour?"

Midori concealed her giggle with the sleeve of her kimono. Before she could respond, however, a Hell Butterfly descended from the sky and landed on Toshiro's shoulder.

_Hell Beast in District One of Soul Society, _it spoke into his mind. _Southern quadrant near the Rukon Gate! Squad Five and Captain Kusujichi are responding to the scene. _

"Yachiru's there," Hitsugaya repeated aloud. "It's good she and her squad responded so quickly. I'm sure she'll handle the situation quite well."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Midori was suddenly serious. "Hell Beasts are on a different level from Hollows. I highly recommend you dispatch at least one other Captain to back her up."

Hitsugaya nodded. "I'd go myself, but South Rukon is too far from here to make it in a timely manner." He turned to the fluttering butterfly. "Captain Kurosaki's house is closest to South Rukon. I'm sure he's already aware of the commotion, but just in case seek him out to help Squad Five."

"The Butterfly will be too slow," Midori interrupted. "I'll go instead."

"You'll what?" Toshiro turned just as Midori drew her Zanpakuto from the sash at her waist. He felt a wave of pure power that made his knees want to buckle as her blade glowed bluish white. Shoving it into the fabric of the very air, she caused a portal to open up, similar to the ones used by Hollows, only there was a bright light shining from within. This portal certainly didn't lead to Hueco Mundo. Toshiro's eyes widened in surprise. He was the highest ranking Shinigami in Soul Society and even he didn't know this technique!

Midori Matsumoto was gone without a word, the gate closing behind her after she slipped through the hole. Caught flatfooted, Toshiro did the only thing he knew how to do. He began running south, using Shunpo to carry him much faster by way of the rooftops of Seireitei.

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

Ichigo was getting dressed as quickly as he could when the knock came at his door. He opened it, not surprised to see his Vice Captain Nel already fully dressed and ready to go. "Captain, do you feel that reiatsu?"

"Of course," Ichigo responded, grabbing Zangetsu from its customary place off his mantle. "But it's not a Menos. It's like nothing I've ever felt before. I can feel Yachiru out there also."

"It's not a being from Hueco Mundo," Nel confirmed. "Perhaps it's from Hell instead?"

"That's certainly likely, given what we know about the larger situation," Ichigo replied. He led Nel back out onto the street, where he could already hear the alarms going off further into the city signaling an intruder. As usual they were a bit late. The other Captains would take some time getting out to the location of the fight. There was no time to muster his squad or wait for reinforcements. By the feel of things Yachiru was already engaged in the fight.

A powerful presence seemed to flare up behind him. It felt like a Shinigami's power, but stronger. He turned to see Midori Matsumoto, the Zero Division Commander, stepping from a brightly lit hole in reality. Her outfit was no longer the white kimono from before, but a black Shinigami robe augmented by white plates of armor on her shoulders, chest and thighs. Her black hair was tied back in a ponytail, while a squat, conical hat resembling those worn by former Captain Shunsui Kyoraku was tied to her head.

"Captain Kurosaki. Come with me," she said shortly, with none of the frivolous silliness present in her voice. "We'll get out to the battle much faster this way."

"What is that?" asked Ichigo. "It looks like a Hollow hole."

"It's the same principle, but acts as a shortcut between great distances in reality. I'll explain more later, just come!" Midori's voice was urgent.

"Alright," that was all Ichigo needed to hear. "Let's go Nel!"

"Yes sir!"

**''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

Yachiru used her reiatsu to slow her descent, digging her heels into the air itself as if it were solid ground. The bruise on her shoulder from the blow she'd just taken from the beast was already tenderizing. If she hadn't adjusted her stance and rolled with the strike, she might have broken a few bones! One of the beast's three tails lashed out at her almost before she came to a stop and the Squad Five Captain barely had enough wits about her to Shunpo out of its reach and land on the rooftop of an intact building. She was already breathing hard. Not five minutes into the fight this beast had already shown her quite a bit of skill. It was not mindless as she first assumed. And despite its great size, the speed of this creature was almost on par with hers!

"Foolish Shinigami," the monster snarled at her, the sound seemingly coming from all three heads at once. "You think because I resemble a dog that I am merely as smart as one? I can sense you're capable of much more. Release your Zanpakuto. I can assure you, you needn't hold back against me."

"Who are you?" Yachiru stood up. "You're from Hell aren't you?"

The beast rumbled out a laugh through jagged fangs. "It pleases me you're not an idiot. Yes, I am from Hell. I am the guardian of Hell itself. The gatekeeper that keeps the Demons at bay and intruders out. I am the great Hell Hound _Cerberus_, Lord of the Ninth Gate!"

"What are you doing here?" Yachiru held out her sword. "If you are a guardian you are most certainly not doing your job!"

"I will explain myself when you defeat me," Cerberus replied. "There is a method to my madness, but you must prove yourself worthy of the truth first. But before all of that. Don't you feel that your own introduction is warranted?"

"I am Squad Five Captain Yachiru Kusujichi," the pink-haired Shinigami declared. "One of the Gotei 13 and one of the strongest Shinigami in this realm! If you truly want to see if I'm worthy, then have it your way."

Yachiru held her sword perpendicular to her body and grasped each end with both of her hands. "**_Meowl! KAMINEKO!!_**" she called out. A bright halo surrounded Yachiru's blade as it seemed to separate in the middle and mold itself onto her hands. At the same time her robe transormed into a short-skirted kunoichi garb similar to a female ninja, minus the mask and hood. Bits of pink armor formed over her arms, shoulders, thighs, and calves. A pink scarf wrapped around her waist, with the end hanging out behind her with a giant cat-bell attached that resembled a cat's tail. On her hands, her Zanpakuto morphed into a matching set of knife-like "claws" that stuck out more than six inches from the tips of her fingers and were attached to a pair of pink hand-guards. There were three blades per hand. To complete the ensemble, a set of pink and white nekomimi sprouted from the top of her hair.

"A cat deity is the name of your sword?" Cerberus chuckled. "Well that _is_ ironic. That I, the greatest of all Demon Dogs, should be pitted against a Shinigami with powers resembling a feline. I must confess to some disappointment however. Your reiatsu has not gone up appreciably with that release. I sense your potential is still not entirely reached. Need you some time to get stronger?"

"No," Yachiru struck a battle pose. "What you see here... Is all I will need to defeat the likes of you!"

**TO BE CONTINUED...**


	7. Yachiru vs Cerberus Round 1

The very ground shook mightily as Cerberus charged at Yachiru. Claws bared, Yachiru moved as if to meet the charge head on, but at the last second she skirted swiftly past the gnashing teeth of the three-headed Demon and sliced three grooves in Cerberus' middle right ear. Cerberus' right head twisted around and snapped at her, but Yachiru used Shunpo to flash step to a nearby rooftop and escape immediate harm.

Cerberus lashed out his tails like a trio of whips and each time he just missed hitting the Shinigami Captain. Instead, each of his efforts were rewarded by a cut from Yachiru's blades.

Spinning quickly, Cerberus again went for the swift end as each of his three jaws took turns biting at her again and again. Yachiru did all she could to avoid the attacks, jumping and leaping from Cerberus' back, to one of his noses, to the top of his head, to the rooftops. Cerberus was relentless and did not seem to tire. The more she dodged, the more tired she felt herself becoming. Finally she leaped what she thought was clear from the three terrible jaws, only to realize too late that Cerberus' left tail was snapping around behind her like a whip.

The tail-slap blindsided her like a ton of bricks and sent her smashing through several rooftops until she came a stop, shaking her head in a daze.

"Heheheh..." Cerberus snarled. "You're quicker than before, but not all that much stronger. Your cuts are like bee stings really. Annoying, but not altogether serious. Tell me, Shinigami. Are you just playing with me?"

Yachiru only smirked in return, brushing dirt from her slightly tattered garb. "Give my claws time, good sir. A single cat scratch is nothing to most people. But if you accumulate the damage... You'll find the pain to be quite debilitating."

Another Shunpo and Yachiru was right in front of Cerberus' left head. Right next to his eye to be precise. With a swipe of her claws, she gouged the eyeball directly with her right arm. Cerberus actually yelped in pain that time and snapped at her with lightning speed. But Yachiru used yet another Shunpo to clear herself from harm. This time she was ready for the tail that came from her blind spot and parried it with her arms above her head. Swiping both her arms outward in an arc, she cut a deep groove in the end of the tail. Black fur rained all around her as she darted to another opening above Cerberus' left flank.

Cerberus was the one to put distance between them by leaping away. Yachiru didn't pursue, preferring to ready herself for another flurry of attacks. "Still think I'm no match for you?" she taunted it.

The Demon Dog snuffled flames through his nostrils. "I must confess to be getting a wee bit irritated by your agility," he admitted. "I suppose I'll simply have to stop taking you so lightly."

Much to Yachiru's surprise, Cerberus suddenly seemed to vanish into thin air. Her mind barely caught up in time to realize Cerberus had just used Shunpo himself! Her eyes darted to the right and caught a massive pair of jaws roaring at her from the flank. Yachiru let out a shout of surprise just as she used her hands and feet to prevent the dagger-like teeth from clamping down on her. The strenght of this beast was enormous! Her back and ribs began protesting as her torso was put under immense pressure.

Bracing herself, Yachiru kicked away from the teeth to watch the jaws slam shut just inches in front of her, but then she had to busy herself with avoiding two more sets of jaws and three tails. A hastily mustered Shunpo cleared her of all three attacks, but didn't give her as much space as she would have liked. Cerberus saw the opening and opened his central mouth as a glowing wide beam of energy fired out and struck the Shinigami head on.

Yachiru crossed her claws and warded off as much of the attack as possible, but the edges of the crackling beam still burned the ends of her hairs and the hems of her outfit. The blast seemed to last for hours, but when it finally subsided, Yachiru's muscles relaxed involuntarily after enduring such strain. Cerberus followed this up with a slap of his forepaw that backhanded her on a high arcing trajectory that would have had her smash through a series of several more standing structures.

But her momentum was arrested by the sudden appearance of a left arm that caught her around the middle and left the young Captain draped over it like a limp towel. Yachiru looked up to see Captain Kurosaki had caught her and saved her a lot of pain.

"Berry-tan!" she exclaimed happily, before realizing why he must be here. Letting go of his arm, she pushed away and glowered at him. "Get back! This one belongs to me!" she declared proudly.

Ichigo raised his eyebrows. "I'm not sure how much I missed," he retorted. "But you seemed to be having a bit of a time when I arrived."

"The only time I'm having is a _good_ one!" Yachiru pulled her eyelid down and stuck out her tongue. "Do not interfere or I'll never talk to you again!"

"Hey, relax. I'm just here for backup," Ichigo held up his hands in mock surrender. "You're welcome for the catch, by the way."

Yachiru blushed at her rudeness. "Oh... sorry. Thanks for the save, Berry-tan."

"Who is that, anyway?" he asked.

"That's Cerberus," Yachiru answered, glaring back at the waiting Demon Dog. "He says he's the Guardian of the Ninth Gate, whatever that is."

"He's the Guardian of Hell," Midori Matsumoto explained, stepping out from behind Ichigo. "The one Captain Komamura said had gone missing. But why he would be causing so much destruction here is beyond me. Cerberus is completely loyal to the Lord of Hell."

"_So Cerby here has been a bad dog_!" Yachiru shouted in his direction. The Hell guardian's ears pricked up at that, but his expression was unreadable.

"I think perhaps maybe you should be _winning _the fight before you go pissing him off," Ichigo suggested.

"Shut up _you_!" Yachiru stuck her tongue out again. "He's fast for his size. And he really packs a punch. I think I might have to break out the Bankai for this guy."

Ichigo threw his cleaver-like sword over his shoulder and grinned at her. "Alright then. Go get him, pussycat."

"Meow!" Yachiru winked at the Third Squad Captain and made a pawing gesture with her hand before leaping back into the fray.

"I hope she doesn't kill him," Midori stepped up worriedly.

"Why? He's hurting people, causing destruction... Why would we keep him alive?" asked Ichigo.

"Cerberus is extremely intelligent," Midori said. "He's not doing this for pleasure. He wanted one of us to come out and challenge him. But for what reason I don't know."

"He could have just knocked," Ichigo rolled his eyes.

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

Despite her admission to Ichigo that she might have to go to the next level, Yachiru was not yet ready to concede she needed Bankai in this fight. Deducing that Cerberus was not one of their actual enemies, the Fifth Squad Captain didn't want to max herself out before fighting the real enemies. Besides, she was having fun tonight. It had been a long time since she had fought a worthy opponent and Kenpachi had always taught her that fighting was meant to be enjoyed.

So Yachiru dove back into the fray, redoubling her efforts at clawing and hacking away at Cerberus' defenses. The giant Demon Dog was swift, however, and his three heads gave him almost perfect three hundred sixty degree vision. He had almost no blind spot and plenty of weapons to fight back with. Yachiru adapted to this by flash-stepping to random positions several times before attempting a strike, in order to confuse Cerberus and keep him guessing. Alas the ploy had limited success. Yachiru began to concede that the bit of her Zanpakuto in this form was simply not enough. That all she was really doing was irritating the dog and not really striking a critical blow.

About ten minutes after her second wind, Yachiru put distance between the combatants once more and alighted upon the top of Seireitei's wall. Sweat was running from her brow and she breathed heavily from exertion. All of that effort and all she had to show for it was a few scratches upon the surface of Cerberus' thick hide.

"We seem to be at an impasse, Shinigami," Cerberus pointed out. "You can't _really_ hurt me. My wounds heal too quickly, especially since your sword in its released form was made for smaller foes with thinner skin. Your release has given you a huge boost in speed, but the drawback is that it hampers your attack power. Yet even as I say this I must also concede that you are far too quick for me to land a decisive blow on you. At this rate we'll be fighting for weeks before one of us gained the upper hand, and you simply don't have that kind of time. You know what you must do. I want to see what you're _truly_ capable of! Let me see your ultimate level!"

Yachiru smiled. So Cerberus was a lot like Kenpachi also. He wanted to see her put up more of a fight. But the Demon Dog didn't seem to be enjoying the fight. It was more as if he were testing her than anything. Was that was Matsumoto meant by her comments before? Was Cerberus really just testing her? If so, did he want her to kill him or simply convince him she was worthy enough to go into Hell and save his Lord?

Cerberus snarled. "Hurry up, Shinigami! I want to know! Before I die I want to see if you can save my Master or if my coming here was all simply a waste of time?!"

Well that settled that. Yachiru lowered her claws and took a deep breath.

"Very well. I guess the gloves come off from here on," she conceded. She glanced quickly over at Ichigo, who simply bobbed his head up and down in silent assent. She was ready for this. Not that she really needed his approval. This was her fight and she was in it to win it!

Crossing her claw blades over her head and setting her feet wide apart, pink energy began to flow out of her body as her Reiatsu surged. The air began to pulsate with the throbbing energy of a Captain-class Shinigami getting ready to go all out. And then, as the energy reached a crescendo, Yachiru activated her ability with one simple word. A word only twelve other people in Soul Society knew...

"**_BAN-KAI_!!**"

**TO BE CONTINUED: IF YOU WANT TO SEE YACHIRU'S BANKAI YOU'LL SIMPLY HAVE TO STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER. AND YES, I KNOW I'M PULLING AN OLD "DRAGONBALL Z" DEVICE HERE BY DRAGGING THIS OUT, BUT IF THIS IS THE ONLY WAY I CAN GARNER REVIEWS THEN THIS IS WHAT I'LL DO, DAMMIT! **


	8. Author's Note 1

**FOR EVERYONE WAITING FOR MY NEXT POST, GIVE ME A FEW MORE DAYS!! I'VE BEEN WORKING A RIDICULOUS AMOUNT OF OVERTIME AT MY JOB LATELY AND IT'S FINALLY GETTING BACK DOWN TO NORMAL HOURS. ALSO, I'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH COMING UP WITH A "BANKAI" FOR YACHIRU THAT'S UNIQUE, BUT STILL PLAUSIBLE FOR HER CHARACTER. I SHOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO OFFER BY ABOUT TUESDAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. **

On an unrelated note, here's some info on the futuristic Soul Society that forms the basis of my story. Most of this stuff is touched upon earlier in the book, but there are a few things here that haven't been covered, most notably the Vice Captains:

SQUAD ONE: Captain-Commander Toshiro Hitsugaya. Vice Commander Momo Hinamori. Momo and Toshiro are husband and wife. Hitsugaya was promoted from Squad Ten by the previous Commander Ginryuusai Yamamoto just before he died. Hinamori's job is probably the easiest in all of Soul Society considering Hitsugaya insists on doing everything himself work-wise. Hitsugaya loves Hinamori very much and almost seems to want to shield her from the rest of the world. As a result few people ever actually see Momo anymore except in formal ceremonies where her presence is required.

SQUAD TWO: Captain Soi Fong-Shaolin. Vice Captain Juichiro Omaeda. Squad Two is the only squad that is completely unchanged at the top of the pecking order from the Bleach Anime Series. Soi Fong is the oldest tenured Captain in the current Gotei 13, but got passed over for promotion by Hitsugaya, leaving Soi Fong more than a little bitter about that. Soi Fong doesn't particularly hate Ichigo Kurosaki, but she is endlessly irked by the fact that he constantly gets away with breaking Shinigami traditions and not being punished for it. Much of her ire is generated by the existence of Nel and is a source of constant, often petty, bickering between the two Captains. Omaeda... remains as useless and bombastic as always.

SQUAD THREE: Captain Ichigo Kurosaki. Vice Captain Neliel Tu Oderschvank. The most unique Captain/VC combo in history. Ichigo is technically a Vizard because he can tap into Hollow abilities, making him virtually the strongest Shinigami in history! Commander Hitsugaya leans on Ichigo for many of Soul Society's most difficult missions. Toshiro considers Captain Kurosaki to be so valuable to Seireitei that he overlooks Nel's presence as his Vice Captain, even though she's an Arrancar who is almost universally despised and distrusted by all but the few Captains who know her personally. Nel has strong feelings for her Captain, which translate to an unshakable loyalty to Ichigo. However, she's not above willful acts of disobedience when the whim strikes her.

SQUAD FOUR: Captain Isane Kotetsu. Vice Captain Orihime Inoue. Though Inoue is the lower ranking officer, even Isane must admit she's by far the most talented healer. But Orihime has been deemed unfit for command based on a horrible event in her past that has left her emotionally and mentally scarred, with most of the damage seemingly centered around Ichigo Kurosaki, a man she used to love with all her heart. Further details on the event that happened are highly classified and known only in detail by Ichigo, Rukia, and Toshiro.

SQUAD FIVE: Captain Yachiru Kusujichi. Vice Captain Katsuo Yoshida. Yachiru is much matured from her Anime days, both physically and mentally. Though devastated by the departure of her longtime guardian and partner Kenpachi Zaraki, she has since latched on more or less to Ichigo, though she is more her own person now than she ever has been. Yachiru is still quite mischievous and bubbly, a trait which often leaves her Vice Captain Yoshida at a loss for words and wondering just which of the two of them are actually more mature? Yachiru loves to fight, an attitude inherited by her two mentors, Zaraki and Kurosaki, and leaves all the paperwork and menial chores to Katsuo, rendering her VC as little more than an indentured servant.

SQUAD SIX: Captain Renji Abarai. Vice Captain Riko Murokami. After Byakuya Kuchiki was promoted to Zero Division, Squad Six was unceremoniously dumped on Renji's shoulders. Not that Renji didn't want to one day lead his own squad, he just feels cheated that he never got around to actually defeating Byakuya in battle for the honor. Renji is good friends with Captain Kurosaki and Captain Kuchiki (Rukia), and tends to hang out more with those two than tending to his actual division. His VC, Riko, does most of the administrative work, and he and Renji do not get along very well. This is because Riko's former girlfriend, Makie, has unrequited feelings of adoration for Abarai now and won't give Murokami the time of day anymore.

SQUAD SEVEN: As of Chapter Two of this very novel, Squad Seven is temporarily disbanded. Komamura Sajin and Tetsuzaimon Iba were both killed in the line of duty on a mission into Hell. No replacements are being considered right now.

SQUAD EIGHT: Captain Shinji Masaki. Vice Captain Himeko Yoshida. Shinji is a quiet man who keeps to himself in his free time, with little interaction with anyone outside of his studies. He's quite the bookworm with a personal library in his house that rivals that of Central 46's collection. Most of his peers would describe him as very forgettable and not all that interesting. Himeko, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. With her radiant personality and unflappable cheer, she's seen as the public face of Squad Eight. She's quite the opposite of her serious and harried twin brother, Katsuo, who constantly complains to her about Captain Kusujichi whenever he can get the chance. Like a patient psychologist, Himeko listens to him, but seems to take his complaining with a grain of salt. Her generic advice to everyone is to 'cheer up', things always get better with time.

SQUAD NINE: Captain Shuhei Hisagi. Vice Captain by Committee. When Shuhei took over Squad Nine, he was practically overwhelmed by the amount of work associated with the job, because Kaname Tousen, his former leader, often did everything himself without relying on his men at all. Determined not to have his successor go through the same tough adjustment he had, Shuhei has employed a rather unique method of running his squad. Instead of one Vice Captain, he has SIX. These six Shinigami are all qualified fighters and administrators, and he distributes his work evenly among them so that they all can one day step up as Captains themselves should the need arise. Shuhei's idea is being currently looked at by Hitsugaya as a possible model for an overhaul of the current Captain/VC system.

SQUAD TEN: Captain Rangiku Matsumoto. Vice Captain Gai Himitsu. Matsumoto is quite probably the least qualified leader in the history of Soul Society. She's a heavy drinker, an incurable procrastinator, and unapologetically lazy, save for when it comes to her personal appearance. However, Hitsugaya refuses to remove her from power. Either the Captain-Commander is determined to whip her into shape, or he's succumbing to a personal vendetta to get revenge on Matsumoto for all the years of torment she inflicted on him as a younger Squad Ten Captain. It figures then, that her Vice Captain Gai Himitsu is little more than a willing slave who waits on Matsumoto hand and foot. Himitsu is quite handsome and could have any woman in Seireitei if he so desired, but he's completely enamored with Rangiku and seems to have eyes only for her. Rangiku takes advantage of this rather openly, but Gai, astonishingly, doesn't seem to mind the abuse.

SQUAD ELEVEN: Captain Ikkaku Madarame. Vice Captain Yumichika Ayasegawa. The former third and fifth seats of Squad Eleven are now the top two in the wake of Zaraki's departure and Yachiru's promotion to Squad Five. Ikkaku didn't really want to be a Captain, but Zaraki left no clues for Ikkaku to pursue and Hitsugaya acted so quickly to make Ikkaku the Squad Eleven Captain there was literally no time to react. Madarame suspects Hitsugaya knew about his Bankai all along but doesn't know how that information could have leaked. Of all the characters, Ikkaku and Yumichika have changed the least. Yumichika is still irrepressibly vain and Ikkaku is still quite bloodthirsty and willing to scrap with just about anyone.

SQUAD TWELVE: Captain Nanao Ise. No Vice Captain. Highly intelligent, meticulous, hard-working, and obedient. These traits make Nanao the perfect leader for the Science and Research Division of Seireitei. Obedience especially has been a trait long missing from the Squad Twelve hierarchy. Nanao doesn't seem to have her own agenda, much like Mayuri and Uruhara did. Nanao's only interest is in running her department efficiently. While she has plenty of brainy subjects to help in her job, she refuses to name a Vice Captain, preferring to do all the important work herself to ensure utmost proficiency.

SQUAD THIRTEEN: Captain Rukia Kuchiki. Vice Captain Makie Sakaki. Rukia is quite probably the most talented Kidou user in the history of Soul Society. She has not only unlocked previously unattainable levels of magic, she has even pioneered a few new spells of her own to her repertoire. As a side job she teaches Kidou at the Seireitei Academy for Shinigami. Rukia is the only Captain who can't attain "Bankai" level, but her Kidou abilities more than make up for that deficiency. In fact Rukia's magic may even be better than the run of the mill Bankai could ever be. Makie, her Vice Captain, is a capable apprentice in the art of Kidou, but spends most of her time lusting after Captain Abarai. Her borderline obession not only occasionally gets in the way of her better judgment, but it also has driven a wedge between Renji and his own VC. Rukia frequently chides Makie for her romantic airiness, but also seems to understand her feelings in a way and stops just short of forbidding Makie to make advances on Renji.


	9. Yachiru's incredible Bankai!

"**_Ban-KAI!_**"

Even the mighty Demon Dog, Cerberus, had to flinch from the blinding pink light that abruptly exploded from around Yachiru Kusujichi's body and caused the air itself to crackle with unnatural electricity. The wind picked up into a mighty gale, flinging debris on the ground into the air and tossing it away the same way a bomb blast clears ground zero of any and all objects.

"Aw crap!" Ichigo shielded his face and grimaced. "She actually went and did it."

"Did what?" asked Matsumoto, pulling her hat down over her face to ward the dust from her eyes.

"She's using her Bankai form to defeat this guy," said Ichigo.

"Is there a particular reason why she shouldn't?" Midori asked archly.

"No... Not anything critical... It's just..." Ichigo lowered his face and blushed slightly.

"Now that's an odd reaction coming from you..." Midori commented, looking back toward the Squad Five Captain. As soon as the pink light faded and the wind died down, Midori suddenly saw the reason for Ichigo's discomfiture.

"... Oh _my_...!"

Yachiru-chan was _naked_! Well... not entirely. Her uniform had disappeared, leaving 90 of her flesh exposed. The most important parts were concealed, but only just barely. Patches of fur covered her private parts, the fronts of her breasts, and the entirety of her back. But that wasn't the most surprising aspect of Yachiru's second level release. Her Zanpakuto had radically altered its form, framing her body with an exoskeleton of metal and gears to form what looked like a giant robotic, anthropomorphic feline. Yachiru's hands were covered in giant mechanical claws with what looked like drill bits for claws! Her feet also formed into bootlike hind paws with cruel talons at the ends. What was intended to be her tail seemed instead to be a gigantic hollow tube with a gaping opening at the tip. Her nekomimi had morphed into a cat-eared pink helmet that framed her head and covered her eyes with a yellow visor.

"I... see what you mean," Midori stammered, stunned at this most unique release. "I admit I've never seen a Bankai quite like _that_ before."

Ichigo nodded, trying to force his face to un-blush. "Yachiru's Zanpakuto is the perfect mirror of her own personality. And I'm not just talking about the cat shape to it. The scantily clad portion is a reflection of her desire to show off, while the mech suit is a throwback to her younger years when she still liked playing with fancy toys. As ridiculous as it looks on her though, I have to say it's one of the stronger Bankai's in Seireitei."

Cerberus was just as impressed. "There's the power I was looking for. The true power of the Cat Goddess! Although the form is something I never would have expected."

"You'll find I'm full of surprises," Yachiru wasted no time on the offensive. "Take _this_!" She crouched over on her hands and knees and curled her tail so that its open end was aimed straight at Cerberus. The air sparkled and hummed with energy as the appendage that was apparently a giant cannon powered up to fire.

"**Neko Tenchi Bakuha!!**" she said in a voice that seemed to reverberate in the air around her. (_Roughly translated: Heavenly Blast of the Cat)_

Cerberus only realized at the last second what it was. The tail cannon fired a beam of energy at the Demon Dog, forcing him to blast back at her with the blue fire from his three mouths. Pink and blue energy exploded for miles around, bathing the landscape in conflicting hot and cool colors. The opposing energy beams fought for superiority before stabilizing at a point halfway between the two combatants.

"Uh oh," said Midori.

"What is it?" asked Ichigo.

"Her reserves will almost certainly run dry before his does if she continues dueling like that," Midori warned. "In fact I guarantee it."

"Yachiru!" Ichigo immediately yelled up to the pink-haired Shinigami, "You're not going to beat him head to head like that! Use your speed like you did before!"

Yachiru didn't appear to be listening. In fact she intensified her own energy, forcing Cerberus to commit more to his own defenses. Ichigo gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on his own Zanpakuto. What was the fool girl thinking? Was she really going to burn through her entire Bankai after one attack? His muscles tensed as he prepared to Shunpo into the action and assist her.

"Ichigo!" That was the voice of his Vice Captain, Nel.

The Squad Three Captain turned to the green-haired Arrancar impatiently. "What?"

Nel pointed wordlessly down at the ground below. Ichigo followe her line of sight. He could see lower seated Shinigami running around on the ground, trying to get normal souls to leave the area. However, hampering their progress was a threat the three of them hadn't noticed before. What looked like shadows were breaking off from dark areas and ambushing the Shinigami. The warriors fought back as best they could, but the shadow creatures were stealthy and quick. For every one that got killed, several Shinigami seemed to be getting wounded. Fortunately, relatively few of the Shinigami seemed to be dying.

Ichigo set his jaw firmly. "They're doing their job so we can do ours," he said tightly, through clenched teeth. "Casualties will always happen in situations like this one. Squad Four will handle the wounded."

"No! Look! At the wounded!" Nel insisted.

Ichigo looked again at one particular Shinigami, who seemed to be hunched over, clutching his bleeding arm and moaning in agony. All of a sudden his Reiatsu shifted, becoming darker and more sinister. At the same time his physical spirit body lost definition and color, turning as pitch black as the shadows that had injured him. When his silhouette restabilized he looked more like the enemy. Glowing red eyes burned from the darkness like embers. Ichigo realized, as he looked around the area, that the same thing was happening to _every_ Shinigami who was wounded thus.

"What... the... _Hell_?!" he asked, feeling his blood drain slightly.

"_**Schatten Damonen**_!" Midori identified the creatures. "Shadow Demons. Cerberus brought his soldiers along! Anyone who is wounded by their claws or their teeth becomes one of them until they can be purified or destroyed!"

"Oh that is just _ducky_!" Ichigo spat acidly. "At this rate Squad Five will be outnumbered!"

"You and your Vice Captain should go help them," Midori suggested.

"But, what about...?" he looked worriedly back at Yachiru, who suddenly seemed to be getting pushed back by Cerberus' energy. Her Reiatsu was already dwindling.

"I'll keep watch over her," Midori put a hand on his shoulder. "I still think she can handle Cerberus, but even if she can't I guarantee you _I can_." She said 'I can' with such conviction in her eyes that any protest Ichigo might have considered lodging against her advice curdled up halfway up his windpipe. Instead he merely turned to Nel.

"Let's go, Nel," he commanded.

Meanwhile, high above, Cerberus was slowly gaining the upper hand and pushing Yachiru further and further back. The two energy beams, which up until a moment ago had been virtually equal, were now shifting in the Demon Dog's advantage. The blue energy was steadily beating back the pink energy, and within moments the Shinigami Captain was due to be engulfed in deadly fire.

"Your Bankai is still too weak," Cerberus almost sounded disappointed. "Oh well, you are young. I suppose you did well to get this far. However, I cannot stop now. Until I find a worthy foe I will not relent in my attack!"

Yachiru didn't reply. Instead, with merely a smile, she disappeared into thin air!

The blue energy from Cerberus' mouths scattered the remnants of Yachiru's Reiatsu and speared into the sky, vanishing into infinity.

"_What_?!" Cerberus exclaimed with surprise. At the last second he felt Yachiru's presence reappear next to his leftmost head. By the time he swung that head around to look, a huge claw sliced through Cerberus' left neck, opening up four extremely long and wide gashes! Blood immediately began pouring forth, along with the guttural roar that rumbled forth from Cerberus' three heads.

"A cat may not bite hard, but she moves as swiftly as the light," Yachiru said triumphantly. "In this form, it feels like you're moving in slow motion!"

Cerberus snarled and lashed out with his tails, only to have Yachiru disappear again. The giant canine scanned the sky all around him, but couldn't see any sign of her, nor could he quite seem to catch up to her Reiatsu, which suddenly felt like it was all over the place at once.

A flash, followed by two more quick strikes with the Shinigami's giant mechanical paws left a series of criss-crossing deep scars across Cerberus' belly, nearly eviscerating him on the spot! Again Cerberus roared, and again he lashed out with no discernible result. She reappared a good fifty feet away, her drill-bit like talons dripping with Cerberus' dark red blood. She was literally grinning like the cat who ate the canary.

"Damn you!" Cerberus' hair rose up on his back, feeling fear for the first time. "How can you move so fast?! Your speed is nearly _God-like_!"

"This Bankai of mine is the perfect blend of speed and offense," Yachiru said. "It looks a little clunky, but don't let its appearance fool you. How about I reward your tenacity with another little trick of mine?"

"I won't give you the chance!" Cerberus lunged for her, covering fifty feet in less than a second with one of his Shunpo strikes.

But Yachiru vanished again, seemingly twice as quickly. Cerberus skidded to a halt in midair and looked over his shoulders, expecting another gashing blow from out of nowhere. Only this time it didn't happen. The Demon Dog spotted Yachiru standing atop a small watch tower.

Yachiru focused on her yellow visor, watching as a targeting system locked onto the distant hound of Hell and began blinking red and white.

"**_Tsume Misairu_!!**" she called out. (_Translation: Claw Missiles_)

All eight of Yachiru's hand-paw claws launched like a rain of tiny rockets from the tips of her appendages. Cerberus was so surprised, expecting another type of attack entirely, that he couldn't concentrate on another Shunpo in time. The projectiles struck home and exploded on impact with Cerberus' tough hide. The explosions ripped gaping holes in the previously impervious flesh. Chunks of flesh and splashes of blood painted the sky along with the bright orange flames and black smoke. The smell of cooked meat filled the air.

"Time to finish you off!" Yachiru declared as a new set of claws slid into place of the old ones. "You're lucky you won't have the chance to face anyone stronger than me. You wouldn't even have time to regret the damage you've caused."

Cerberus was reeling, stunned and injured beyond endurance. The Demon Dog was truly outclassed by this astounding new Bankai. Expecting the killing blow, he bowed all three of his heads in submission as Yachiru swooped in with her claws ready to rip open Cerberus' jugular.

**Clang!**

At the last second Yachiru found her attack blocked by a Zanpakuto. As soon as the blade touched her claws, her Reiatsu plunged and her mecha-suit shattered into thousands of spirit particles. At the same time her regular Shinigami Captain robes reappeared and covered her naked body. Shocked that her Bankai had seemingly been undone by this mysterious sword, her eyes locked on to Midori Matsumoto's. Awe and indignation wrestled for control her emotions. Why was she stopping her? Why was she protecting Cerberus all of a sudden when she hadn't stepped in before? How had her Zanpakuto undone her Bankai form just by touching hers??

"Why are you stopping me?!" Yachiru gave voice to her anger. "Just what is that sword of yours made of?"

Midori's dark eyes blazed as she pushed Yachiru away and stood protectively over Cerberus' staggering body, which had drifted slowly to the ground below.

"Take no other action, Squad Five Captain Kusujichi," she said darkly. "I won't let you harm Cerberus!"

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**CLIFFHANGER ALERT! WHY DID COMMANDER MATSUMOTO SUDDENLY INTERVENE ON BEHALF OF THE ENEMY?! IS IT A BETRAYAL?! AND WHAT ABOUT ICHIGO AND NEL? CAN THE TWO OF THEM FIGHT OFF AN ARMY OF RAPIDLY MULTIPLYING HELL BEASTS BEFORE THEY GET OUT OF HAND??**


	10. A revelation most shocking!

Cerberus had settled to the ground, breathing laborously. His hot blood steamed in the cool night time air, as did his breath. His three tails tapped the ground restlessly. Blood flowed in copious amounts out of his gaping wounds. Those claw missiles had done far more damage to his body than Yachiru's scratches ever could. It was clear he was on the brink of life and death. One more good attack would likely finish him off.

Only _someone_ wasn't allowing her to do that! Yachiru glared with equal parts suspicion and frustration at the Zero Division member who was supposed to be their ally in the battle against the Demons. Only right now she wasn't acting like much of an ally. Midori Matsumoto's actions bordered on treason. But more pressing to Yachiru's mind was the fact that Matsumoto's Zanpakuto had completely overridden her Bankai form just by making contact with Kamineko. How was that even possible?

"Why are you stopping me now of all times?" Yachiru demanded of her. "I've got him on the ropes."

"Yes, I can see that," Midori agreed. "You have indeed won this fight and proved your strength. Nevertheless I cannot allow you to finish off Cerberus."

"Well then why don't we skip to the part where you tell me _why_ that is?!" Yachiru growled.

"There's no time," Midori sheathed her blade. "Go get Squad Four together. Make sure Vice Captain Inoue gets out here to heal Cerberus, he needs rapid action immediately."

"I'll do no such thing," challenged Yachiru. "Not until you explain to me why that dog needs to live when his minions are attacking my squad and killing them?! Why did he attack Soul Society if his aim wasn't to kill us all?"

"I think the question you should be asking is why didn't he attack Seireitei when he could have easily assailed those walls and caused some real damage?" asked Midori rhetorically.

Yachiru narrowed her eyes, clearly not willing to listen to reason at the moment for multiple reasons. "What does it matter what his motives were? He attacked Soul Society. He's killing Shinigami. And he raised his sword... in a manner of speaking... against one of the Thirteen Captains! If you're from Zero Division you should know that by law his penalty would be death!"

"And since when has a disciple of the Great Zaraki Kenpachi _ever_ lived life by the rules?" Midori shot back. "Cerberus guards the Gates of Hell. His worth is far more than any single person in Soul Society, myself included. You kill him, then it is _you_ who is breaking the law! If that happens then I am oath bound to destroy your Soul Chain and kill _you_!"

Even as a young child Yachiru was not one to throw a tantrum at the drop of a hat. Even so, right now she felt like she wanted to throw one. If she hadn't seen with her own eyes the pointlessness of trying to fight Matsumoto, she might have given in to the impulse to lash out without thinking. As it was she was squeezing the hilt of her sword so tightly her fingers were starting to tingle painfully. She looked down at the weakening Hell Guardian. "Why? Why is he so important? Why does he get away with murder?!"

"If you kill him, we'll have more to worry about than simply a few shadow demons, I can assure you of that," said Midori tightly. His demise would be tantamount to popping the lock off the very doors holding back the damned! This is what our enemy wants! Cerberus came here to try and gauge your strength to see if you were worthy to journey into his domain and relight the Eternal Flame!"

"How do _you_ know his intentions?" asked Yachiru. "What makes _you_ such an authority on his motives?"

Midori's cold expression broke into one of infinite sadness. "I know... Because the man Cerberus once was... Was my husband..." she stated simply.

Yachiru nearly dropped her Zanpakuto, so great was her shock. The traces of her anger were swept away in a windstorm brought on by her sheer disbelief!

Seconds later, she was on the phone with Captain Kotetsu, who was already on her way...

**'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''**

(20 minutes ago...)

"Step this way everyone," Vice Captain Katsuo Yoshida instructed calmly and evenly. "That's it. Don't look at the battle going on behind you, concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. Stay calm and proceed to the nearest checkpoint in an orderly fashion. We won't allow you to get hurt."

An eerie silence permeated the procession of refugees. The survivors of Cerberus' attack on First District Rukongai were shaken and stunned, but thankfully not panicked to the point of hysteria. Instead the men, women, and children all seemed to be silenced by disbelief that their town could actually be attacked here in Soul Society. Rukongai had not experienced this kind of tumult since the Bount Rebellion of centuries past. But even that unrest paled in comparison to a massive demonic bloodhound crushing their very homes and shops. Many just seemed glad the Shinigami were on the scene.

Yoshida spared a skyward glance, watching his superior take on a beast many times her size. She seemed merely a speck next to the giant Demon, yet she was holding her own quite nicely. He could sense from her Reiatsu she had released her Zanpakuto into Shikai form. Not long afterward, a much heavier Reiatsu signaled the arrival of Captain Kurosaki of Squad Three. Yoshida recognized his green-haired Arrancar companion, Nel, but could not determine who the third person in their group was. She was dressed both like and unlike a Shinigami, and he could feel almost no Reiatsu from her at all. But that didn't really mean anything. Kurosaki's Reiatsu was known to be wild and unsuppressed, constantly weighing down on you like an invisible anchor. But some Captains were known to exert almost no external Reiatsu at all. For all Yoshida knew that woman could be extremely powerful.

But such musings were neither here nor there at the moment. He had a job to concentrate on. With his squad scattered throughout the ruins to operate as search and rescue parties, each one led by a Seated Officer, he was overseeing the primary flow of refugees out of the war zone. This was his job, and he had to do his best here, to prove to Captain Kusujichi that he was more than just a candy-gopher or paper pusher.

"Group Seven, come in please," Fifth Seat Motoki Kurubachi was speaking into his cell phone just behind and to the left of Yoshida. "Seventh Seat Nataku, come in. Are there any stragglers you can find? Please report!"

Yoshida turned around, taking momentary interest in the communique. "Group Seven not chirping?" he asked shortly.

"No sir. Not for a good five minutes now," Kurubachi shook his head. "They don't talk back when I hail them, either."

Yoshida took out his own communicator. "Group Seven leader Nataku, this is Vice Captain Yoshida. If you're not dead, you'd _better_ respond to the sound of my voice within the next ten seconds or I'll have you standing before the Captain!"

Most of the time, silences over the communications channels were due to an officer being too busy to respond, or else distracted by something meaningless. Very often in these cases it was a simple matter of firmly reminding them of their place and using a threat of discipline to straighten them up. But in rare cases, sometimes even threats didn't work. Because sometimes a person simply _could not_ respond because of a dire situation.

Such as now, for example. Seventh Seat Nataku did not answer the line. Instead an eerie silence was all Yoshida was able to draw.

Captain Kusujichi was still engaged with the enemy up above. So what could be down here that could have caused his officer not to respond.

"_Vice Captain Yoshida_! _Captain_! _Anybody_!! _Come in_!_"_ another officer suddenly screamed into the device from the other side, causing him to have to hold the receiver away from his ear. "_This is Fourth Seat Shindo_! We've_ come under attack_! _Some kind of monsters have suddenly attacked out of the shadows_! _They're moving too fast for us to inflict damage_!_ We need reinforcements fast_!"

"Who is this? What's your position?!" Yoshida barked back. All he got was a burst of static and a short-lived, but piercing scream.

"Hollows? At a time like this?" asked Kurubachi guessed.

"Our Hollow locators would have gone off if it were. More likely our canine friend brought with him a few friends," Yoshida offered, looking pointedly up in the air. "We're going to have to handle this ourselves with the Captain busy."

"I'll lead a group back to Sector Thirteen," said the Third Seat bravely. "That's where Group Seven was stationed."

"No, this enemy may be beyond even you," Yoshida belayed. "You stay here with a handful of men to keep these people moving, and don't let any of them on to what's happening. We don't want a panic on top of everything else. I'll take most of the soldiers with me and investigate this menace for myself."

"Perhaps I should call in another Squad?" suggested Kurubachi. "Captain Kurosaki is in the area, perhaps Squad Three is on the way as well."

"Well I'm not going to wait for them," Yoshida declared. "Too many people could die between now and then if we just sit here and let the enemy pick us off one group at a time."

Within minutes Yoshida had a larger group of about thirty individuals assembled and running behind him toward the back of the refugee line, back in the direction the last distress call came from. Their stampeding feet created a staccato of sandals slapping the flagstones as the group ran. Overhead the sky seemed to light up with the intensifying struggle between Yachiru and Cerberus. Yoshida spared a moment to assess things. Yachiru's Reiatsu continued to rise as she put more and more effort into her fight against the Demon Dog. It was starting to look like maybe she'd have to release to the next level. What if this beast was stronger than their Captain? Why wasn't Captain Kurosaki charging headlong into the fray to help like he always did? The Great Ichigo Kurosaki had a reputation for butting in to help. Good or bad, Yoshida wouldn't have held it against the Squad Three Captain if he continued that tradition in this scenario. What was he waiting for?

His thoughts were interrupted by a series of exclamations from his Shinigami group as they spotted the first corpses littering the area. Their black robes meant they were unmistakably Shinigami. Yoshida spotted Fourth Seat Shindo laying nearby with a horrible set of claw marks across his face. He appeared to still be breathing, but he wasn't moving a muscle.

_Shit! This looks bad! We'll have to call in Squad Four immediately!_ Yoshida thought, inspecting the rest of Shindo's prone body. "Shindo! Are you alert? Talk to me if you're conscious!"

Shindo groaned in reply at first, but then his body lurched upright with a move so sudden it made Yoshida stand up and back away. Shindo emitted an inhuman cry of agony, followed by the sight of his flesh around his wounds turning black and spreading outward like a plague! Shindo's Reiatsu took on an evil taint to it as his eyes went blank and his skin continued to blacken.

"They're changing!" someone cried out. "The wounded are all transforming!"

All of a sudden the shadows cast by the buildings and objects in the moonlit street seemed to come alive, stretching, contorting, and finally coalescing into three dimensional shapes that resembled upright wolves. Several Shinigami standing off to the side reacted too slowly to avoid the creatures sinking their fanks and claws into their flesh! More shouts and screams filled the air in every direction as Yoshida's group was quickly surrounded and set upon by dozens of the shadowy monsters.

"More Demons!" one of his officers surmised.

"Everyone band together!" Yoshida barked out orders. "Stand back to back with at least one other person! Stay away from the shadows!"

"Look!" a female Shinigami pointed in the direction of what was once a wounded Shinigami rising to his feet. His form was just completing a horrific metamorphosis into a Demon that looked exactly like the creatures that had attacked them. Yoshida had a quick mind. As he witnessed the other Shinigami transforming, including the ones in his group attacked seconds before, he quickly put two and two together.

"Don't let them hurt you! They'll turn you into one of them!" he warned, unsheathing his Zanpakuto. Now was not the time to play around with these things. With every Shinigami they wounded or killed, their numbers would multiply rapidly into an unmanageable force. He put his left hand at the hilt of his sword and closed his eyes in concentration.

"_Glow, Akatsukinosora_!" he chanted, invoking his Zanpakuto's Shikai form. The blade began to glow with a white hot brilliance that no one dared look at directly lest they get blinded. "Everyone, who can attain Shikai... release your sword now! Protect the ones who can't!"

Several officers of Squad Five nodded and followed Yoshida's lead. Those who were merely foot soldiers, especially the younger members of the squad, bunched together with their swords drawn. More than a few were shaking at the knees or sweating profusely.

Reinforced with at least a dozen more Demons, the shadow beasts snarled fearlessly at the cluster of Shinigami. After a brief standoff, the attack began from all directions.

It was at this same moment that Vice Captain Nel Tu happened to look down at the ground below and notice what was going on...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

**NEXT CHAPTER: VICE CAPTAIN NEL TU PWNES SOME DEMONS!! PLUS, TALK ABOUT DAMNING REVELATIONS! WAS MIDORI MATSUMOTO REALLY MARRIED TO A DEMON?! MORE ANSWERS... TONS MORE QUESTIONS... IN THE COMING CHAPTERS!**


End file.
